Interchangeable lens, imaging apparatus, and camera system

ABSTRACT

Provided is a technology enabling an imaging apparatus and an interchangeable lens to appropriately perform initialization processes. An interchangeable lens includes one or more lens-side processors configured to perform initialization of a plurality of lens-side elements. The one or more lens-side processors is further configured to transmit lens-side initialization element information indicating the plurality of lens-side elements to an imaging apparatus. The technology can be applied to, for example, a camera system including a detachable interchangeable lens and an imaging apparatus serving as a camera body side.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 15/647,917 filedJul. 12, 2017, which claims the benefit of Japanese Priority PatentApplication JP 2017-040138 filed on Mar. 3, 2017, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates to an interchangeable lens, an imagingapparatus, and a camera system, and more particularly, to aninterchangeable lens, an imaging apparatus, and a camera system thatenables an imaging apparatus and an interchangeable lens toappropriately perform an initialization process.

BACKGROUND ART

There is known a camera system including an imaging apparatus and aninterchangeable lens detachable from the imaging apparatus. In such aninterchangeable lens type camera system, for example, there is anadvantage that the interchangeable lens can be replaced in response tothe photographing application, or the interchangeable lens can bereplaced with a new product added with a new function.

In the interchangeable lens type camera system, when an interchangeablelens is mounted, a process of initializing each element (function) ofthe mounted interchangeable lens is necessary. For example, in a camerasystem of PTL 1, in a case where an interchangeable lens is mounted andpower-on operation is performed, when a camera body transmits aninitialization start command to the interchangeable lens, each drivenmember of the interchangeable lens executes an initialization process.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[PTL 1]

JP 2012-237932A

SUMMARY Technical Problem

However, as interchangeable lenses that can be attached to one imagingapparatus, there may be interchangeable lenses having differentspecifications, interchangeable lenses as new products added with newfunctions, and the like. Even in such a case, it is necessary for theimaging apparatus and the interchangeable lens to appropriately performinitialization processes.

The present technology has been made in view of such a situation, andthe present technology is to enable the imaging apparatus and theinterchangeable lens to appropriately perform initialization processes.

Solution to Problem

An interchangeable lens of a first aspect of the present technologyincludes a lens control unit configured to transmit lens-sideinitialization execution element information indicating a plurality oflens-side elements on which the lens control unit itself performsinitialization to an imaging apparatus in response to reception ofbody-side initialization execution element information indicatingbody-side elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus.

In the first aspect of the present technology, lens-side initializationexecution element information indicating a plurality of lens-sideelements on which the lens control unit itself performs initializationis transmitted to an imaging apparatus in response to reception ofbody-side initialization execution element information indicatingbody-side elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus.

An imaging apparatus of a second aspect of the present technologyincludes a body control unit configured to transmit body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating a plurality ofbody-side elements which are elements on which the body control unititself performs initialization to an interchangeable lens and to performinitialization on the plurality of body-side elements on which the bodycontrol unit itself performs initialization in response to lens-sideinitialization element information which is received from theinterchangeable lens and indicates a plurality of lens-side elementswhich are elements on which the interchangeable lens performsinitialization.

In the second aspect of the present technology, a body control unittransmits body-side initialization execution element informationindicating a plurality of body-side elements which are elements on whichthe body control unit itself performs initialization to aninterchangeable lens and performs initialization on the plurality ofbody-side elements on which the body control unit itself performsinitialization in response to lens-side initialization elementinformation which is received from the interchangeable lens andindicates a plurality of lens-side elements which are elements on whichthe interchangeable lens performs initialization.

According to a third aspect of the present technology, there is provideda camera system including: an interchangeable lens; and an imagingapparatus, in which the interchangeable lens includes a lens controlunit configured to transmit lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating a plurality of lens-side elements which areelements on which the interchangeable lens performs initialization tothe imaging apparatus in response to reception of body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating body-sideelements which are elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus, and the imaging apparatusincludes a body control unit configured to transmit the body-sideinitialization execution element information to the interchangeable lensand to perform initialization on a plurality of body-side elements onwhich the imaging apparatus performs initialization in response to thelens-side initialization execution element information received from theinterchangeable lens. In the third aspect of the present technology, aninterchangeable lens and an imaging apparatus are included, in which theinterchangeable lens transmits lens-side initialization executionelement information indicating a plurality of lens-side elements whichare elements on which the interchangeable lens performs initializationto the imaging apparatus in response to reception of body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating body-sideelements which are elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus. On the other hand, in theimaging apparatus, the body-side initialization execution elementinformation is transmitted to the interchangeable lens, and theinitialization is performed on the plurality of body-side elements onwhich the imaging apparatus performs initialization in response to thelens-side initialization execution element information received from theinterchangeable lens.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the first to third aspects of the present technology, theimaging apparatus and the interchangeable lens can appropriately performthe initialization processes.

In addition, the effects described herein are not necessarily limited,and any of the effects described in the present disclosure may beobtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of anembodiment of a camera system to which the present technology isapplied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic flow of an initializationprocess executed in a camera system.

FIGS. 3A-3D are diagrams illustrating a data format of initializationexecution element information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of body-side initializationexecution element information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of lens-side initializationexecution element information.

FIGS. 6A-6C are diagrams illustrating an example of initializationexecution element information in a case where the interchangeable lensis higher in functionality than the body.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of exposure adjustmentprocess information.

FIGS. 8A-8B are diagrams illustrating transmission of an initializationcompletion signal for a liquid crystal ND which is a non-correspondingexposure influencing element.

FIGS. 9A-9D are diagrams illustrating transmission of an initializationcompletion signal for a lens barrel display unit which is anon-corresponding exposure non-influencing element.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a process flow corresponding to apattern illustrated in A of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a process flow corresponding to apattern illustrated in B of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a process flow corresponding to apattern illustrated in C of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a process flow corresponding to apattern illustrated in D of FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating that an initialization completionsignal of a non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element isincluded.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a first initialization processexecuted on the body side in a case where only the interchangeable lenscorresponds to a new element.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a first initialization processexecuted on the interchangeable lens side in a case where only theinterchangeable lens corresponds to a new element.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an exposure influencing elementprocess executed in step S78 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an exposure influencing elementprocess executed in step S78 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an exposure non-influencing elementprocess executed in step S79 of FIG. 16.

FIGS. 20A-20C are diagrams illustrating initialization execution elementinformation and a result of an AND operation in a case where theinterchangeable lens and the body are equivalent in function.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a process flow in a case where theinterchangeable lens and the body are equivalent in function.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a first initialization processexecuted on the interchangeable lens side in a case where elements towhich the interchangeable lens and the body can correspond arecoincident with each other.

FIGS. 23A-23C are diagrams illustrating initialization execution elementinformation and a result of an AND operation in a case where theinterchangeable lens is lower in function than the body.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a process flow in a case where theinterchangeable lens does not correspond to elements to which the bodycan correspond.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to a case illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to a case illustrated in FIG. 11.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to a case illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to a case illustrated in FIG. 13.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a second initialization processexecuted on the body side in a case where only the interchangeable lenscorresponds to a new element.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a second initialization processexecuted on the interchangeable lens side in a case where only theinterchangeable lens corresponds to a new element.

FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to a case illustrated in FIG. 21.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a second initialization processexecuted on the interchangeable lens side in a case where elements towhich the interchangeable lens and the body can correspond arecoincident with each other.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of a secondinitialization process corresponding to the case illustrated in FIG. 24.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization process switchingprocess executed by an interchangeable lens.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart illustrating a command transmission controlprocess.

FIG. 36 is a time chart illustrating an example of packet communicationin step S504 of FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 is a time chart illustrating an example of packet communicationin step S505 of FIG. 35.

FIG. 38 is a time chart illustrating an example of packet communicationin step S507 of FIG. 35.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, modes (hereinafter, referred to as embodiments) forimplementing the present technology will be described. Note that thedescription will be performed in the following order.

1. Block Diagram of Camera System

2. Overview of Initialization Process

3. Initialization Execution Element Information Data Format

4. First Initialization Process

4.1 Case Where Interchangeable Lens Is Higher in Function than Body

4.2 Case Where Interchangeable Lens and Body Are Equivalent in Function

4.3 Case Where Interchangeable Lens Is Lower in Function than Body

5. Second Initialization Process

5.1 Case Where Interchangeable Lens Is Higher in Function than Body

5.2 Case Where Interchangeable Lens and Body Are Equivalent in Function

5.3 Case Where Interchangeable Lens Is Lower in Function than Body

6. Selection of Initialization Process

7. Summary

8. Synchronization Commands and Asynchronization Commands

<1. Block Diagram of Camera System>

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of anembodiment of a camera system to which the present technology isapplied.

The camera system 1 in FIG. 1 is a lens interchangeable type digitalcamera and is configured to include a detachable interchangeable lens 10and an imaging apparatus 60 which is on a camera body side. Theinterchangeable lens 10 is configured to include a mount unit 21 whichis detachably attached to a mount unit 71 of the imaging apparatus 60.The mount unit 21 has a plurality of terminals (not illustrated) whichare to be electrically connected to the imaging apparatus 60.

In addition, the interchangeable lens 10 is configured to include a lenscontrol unit 22, a zoom lens 23, a camera shake correction lens 24, adiaphragm 25, a focus lens 26, a liquid crystal neutral density (ND)filter 27, a lens barrel display unit 28, an operation unit 29, a memoryunit 30, a recording unit 31, and a power supply control unit 32.

Furthermore, the interchangeable lens 10 is configured to include a zoomdriving unit 41, a camera shake driving unit 42, a camera shake lockdriving unit 43, a diaphragm driving unit 44, a focus lens driving unit45, and a liquid crystal ND driving unit 46.

The lens control unit 22 is configured to include an arithmeticprocessing unit such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU), peripheral circuits, and the like to control theentire interchangeable lens 10 by reading out and executing apredetermined control program recorded in the recording unit 31.

For example, the lens control unit 22 controls the position of the zoomlens 23 according to instruction from the imaging apparatus 60 suppliedthrough a predetermined communication terminal of the mount unit 21 oruser's operation accepted by the operation unit 29. More specifically,the lens control unit 22 acquires the current position of the zoom lens23 from a zoom position detection sensor (not illustrated) configuredwith, for example, a magnetic sensor (MR sensor) or the like, determinesa driving direction and amount for moving the zoom lens 23 to apredetermined position on the basis of a result of the acquisition, andoutputs the determined driving direction and amount together with themovement instruction to the zoom driving unit 41. On the basis of themovement instruction supplied from the lens control unit 22, the zoomdriving unit 41 moves the zoom lens 23 in the optical axis direction soas to obtain the instructed driving direction and amount.

In addition, the lens control unit 22 controls the camera shakecorrection lens 24 so as to correct camera shake. Specifically, the lenscontrol unit 22 determines the driving direction and amount of thecamera shake correction lens 24 in the direction for removing the camerashake amount on the basis of the camera shake amount detected by thecamera shake detection sensor (not illustrated) and outputs thedetermined driving direction and amount together with the movementinstruction to the camera shake driving unit 42. The camera shakedetection sensor is configured with, for example, one or both of a gyrosensor and a triaxial acceleration sensor. The gyro sensor is used fordetecting shift (blur) in the direction corresponding to pitch or yaw asa correction direction of the camera shake correction lens 24. Thetriaxial acceleration sensor is used for detecting shift (blur) in thedirections of the X axis and the Y axis in a case where the optical axisdirection is set as the Z axis. The camera shake driving unit 42 movesthe camera shake correction lens 24 on the basis of the movementinstruction supplied from the lens control unit 22 so as to achieve theinstructed driving direction and amount.

The lens control unit 22 performs control to mechanically lock thecamera shake correction lens 24 in a case where the power supply isturned off. Namely, in a state where power is supplied from the imagingapparatus 60 to the interchangeable lens 10, the camera shake correctionlens 24 is controlled to a predetermined position by the control throughthe camera shake driving unit 42. However, if power is turned off, theposition control by the camera shake driving unit 42 is stopped, and thecamera shake correction lens 24 falls down by a predetermined amount inthe direction of gravity. According to the timing when power is turnedoff, the lens control unit 22 mechanically locks the camera shakecorrection lens 24 through the camera shake lock driving unit 43 toprevent the camera shake correction lens from falling down. The camerashake lock driving unit 43 mechanically locks the camera shakecorrection lens 24 on the basis of fixation instruction supplied fromthe lens control unit 22.

The lens control unit 22 controls (an aperture diameter of) thediaphragm 25 in response to instruction from the imaging apparatus 60which is supplied through a predetermined communication terminal of themount unit 21. Specifically, the lens control unit 22 acquires theaperture diameter of the diaphragm 25 detected by an aperture detectionsensor (not illustrated) and instructs the diaphragm driving unit 44 todrive the diaphragm 25 so that the diaphragm has an F value instructedfrom the imaging apparatus 60. The diaphragm driving unit 44 drives thediaphragm 25 so as to have an aperture diameter instructed from the lenscontrol unit 22. Furthermore, the lens control unit 22 controls thefocus lens 26. Specifically, the lens control unit 22 acquires thecurrent position of the focus lens 26 from a lens position detectionsensor (not illustrated), determines the driving direction and amountfor moving the focus lens 26 to a predetermined position on the basis ofa result of the acquisition, and outputs the determined drivingdirection and amount together with the movement instruction to the focuslens driving unit 45. The focus lens driving unit 45 moves the focuslens 26 in the optical axis direction so as to achieve the instructeddriving direction and amount. The focus lens 26 includes one or aplurality of optical elements. In addition, the focus lens 26 may beconfigured with two types of focus lens groups, that is, a focus lensgroup on the side closer to the zoom lens 23 and a focus lens group onthe side closer to an imaging device 76 of the imaging apparatus 60.

The lens position detection sensor may be configured with, for example,a magnetic sensor, a photodiode array, a potentiometer, a reflectiontype encoder, or the like.

The focus lens driving unit 45 may be configured with, for example, anultrasonic motor, a DC motor, a linear actuator, a stepping motor, apiezo element (piezoelectric element), or the like.

The lens control unit 22 controls the liquid crystal ND filter 27.Specifically, the lens control unit 22 determines transmittance of theliquid crystal ND filter 27 in response to instruction from the imagingapparatus 60 supplied through a predetermined communication terminal ofthe mount unit 21 or user's operation accepted by the operation unit 29and outputs the determined transmittance to the liquid crystal NDdriving unit 46. The liquid crystal ND driving unit 46 determines avoltage value at which the instructed transmittance is obtained andsupplies a driving voltage to the liquid crystal ND filter 27. Theliquid crystal ND filter 27 changes the light transmittance in responseto the driving voltage by using a liquid crystal element.

The lens barrel display unit 28 is a display unit which is arranged inthe lens barrel unit and is configured to include a liquid crystal panelor an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The lens barrel displayunit 28 displays predetermined numerical values, characters, or symbolssuch as a focus distance and a depth of field at the current lensposition.

The operation unit 29 corresponds to a zoom ring for manually settingzoom magnification, a focus ring for manually setting a focus lens, andthe like, accepts a manual operation by a user, and supplies anoperation signal corresponding to the received operation to the lenscontrol unit 22.

The memory unit 30 is, for example, a volatile storage medium such as aRAM (Random Access Memory) and is used as a storage area for variousdata during operation.

The recording unit 31 is a nonvolatile storage medium, and the recordingunit 31 stores various data such as a predetermined control program andadjustment parameters executed by the lens control unit 22.

The power supply control unit 32 detects a power amount of powersupplied from the imaging apparatus 60 and supplies power with optimallyallocated power amounts to each unit (the lens control unit 22 andvarious driving units) inside the interchangeable lens 10 on the basisof the detected power amount.

On the other hand, the imaging apparatus 60 which is on the body side isconfigured to include a mount unit 71 to which the interchangeable lens10 is detachably attached. The mount unit 71 has a plurality ofterminals (not illustrated) which are to be electrically connected tothe mount unit 21 of the interchangeable lens 10.

When the interchangeable lens 10 is mounted on the mount unit 71 of theimaging apparatus 60, the terminals of the mount unit 71 and thecorresponding terminals of the mount unit 21 of the interchangeable lens10 are electrically and physically connected to each other. As theterminals to be connected, for example, there are a terminal for powersupply (power supply terminal), a terminal for transmitting commands anddata (communication terminal), a terminal for transmitting a synchronoussignal (synchronous signal terminal), and the like.

The imaging apparatus 60 is configured to further include a body controlunit 72, a shutter 73, a shutter detection unit 74, a shutter drivingunit 75, an imaging device 76, an image signal processing unit 77, arecording unit 78, a display unit 79, a power supply control unit 80, apower supply unit 81, and an operation unit 82.

The body control unit 72 is configured to include, for example, anarithmetic processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) andan MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a nonvolatile memory, peripheralcircuits, and the like to control the entire camera system 1 by readingout and executing a predetermined control program stored in an internalnonvolatile memory.

For example, the body control unit 72 allows the imaging device 76 toperform imaging or to transmit a predetermined command to theinterchangeable lens 10 through the mount unit 71 to drive the focuslens 26, the zoom lens 23, and the like on the basis of an operationsignal representing user's predetermined operation supplied from theoperation unit 82.

Furthermore, for example, lens position information of the focus lens26, zoom position information of the zoom lens 23, or the like issupplied from the interchangeable lens 10 to the body control unit 72through the mount unit 71, and the body control unit 72 allows theimaging device 76 to perform capturing an image to be recorded in therecording unit 78 and capturing an image for transmission to an externaldevice at an optimum timing based on the information. The image (or datathereof) obtained by the imaging device 76 is recorded (stored) in arecording medium 83 through the recording unit 78 or displayed on thedisplay unit 79 under the control of the body control unit 72.

The shutter 73 is arranged in front of the imaging device 76 and isopened and closed under the control of the shutter driving unit 75. Whenthe shutter 73 is in the closed state, the light of the object passingthrough the optical system of the interchangeable lens 10 is shut off.The shutter detection unit 74 detects the opened/closed state of theshutter 73 and supplies a result of the detection to the body controlunit 72. The shutter driving unit 75 drives the shutter 73 in the openstate or the closed state under the control of the body control unit 72.

The imaging device 76 is configured with, for example, a charge coupleddevice (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor,or the like to capture an image of an object, generates image data, andoutputs the image data.

In addition, in a case where the imaging device 76 is configured with aCCD sensor or a CMOS sensor, an electronic shutter can be used, so thatthe shutter 73 can be omitted. In a case where the shutter 73 isomitted, the shutter detection unit 74 and the shutter driving unit 75used for the control of the shutter are also omitted. The image signalprocessing unit 77 executes a predetermined image signal process on theimage supplied from the imaging device 76. For example, the image signalprocessing unit 77 converts a RAW image supplied from the imaging device76 into image data in a predetermined file format and records the imagedata on the recording medium 83 through the recording unit 78. Inaddition, the image signal processing unit 77 performs a demosaicprocess on the RAW image, furthermore, performs lossless compression orirreversible compression to converts the image into image data in apredetermined file format, and records the image data on the recordingmedium 83 through the recording unit 78. In addition, for example, theimage signal processing unit 77 converts the image data supplied fromthe imaging device 76 into an image signal in a predetermined displayformat, supplies the image signal to the display unit 79, and displaysthe captured image.

The recording unit 78 controls recording (storing) the data or the likeof the image captured by the imaging device 76 on the recording medium83 configured with, for example, a nonvolatile memory or controlsreading the image data from the recording medium 83. The recordingmedium 83 may be configured to be removable.

The display unit 79 is configured with a panel type display device suchas a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL display to display an image(a moving image or a still image) supplied from the image signalprocessing unit 77. The display unit 79 is arranged on the rear surfaceopposite to the front surface where the mount unit 71 is arranged andcan perform displaying a through image, displaying an image recorded onthe recording medium 83, and the like.

The power supply control unit 80 supplies the power supplied from thepower supply unit 81 to each unit of the imaging apparatus 60.Furthermore, the power supply control unit 80 calculates the poweramount of the power that can be supplied to the interchangeable lens 10in consideration of an operation state of the imaging apparatus 60 andsupplies the power to the interchangeable lens 10 through the mount unit71. The power supply unit 81 is configured with, for example, a NiCdbattery, a NiMH battery, a secondary battery such as a Li battery, an ACadapter, and the like.

The operation unit 82 is configured to include hardware keys such as ashutter button, a mode dial, and a zoom button and software keys on atouch panel laminate on the display unit 79 to accept a predeterminedoperation performed by the user and to transmit an operation signal tothe body control unit 72. By operating the operation unit 82, the usercan perform, for example, setting a shooting mode, setting cameraparameters, and the like.

In the camera system 1 configured as described above, a lock function ofthe camera shake correction lens 24 included in the interchangeable lens10, a light amount adjustment function of the liquid crystal ND filter27, and a display function of the lens barrel display unit 28 do notexist in an old-type interchangeable lens, but these functions are newlyadded configuration (function) by model change or the like.

<2. Overview of Initialization Process>

An imaging apparatus 60 (hereinafter, referred to as a body 60) on thecamera body side executes a initialization process for initializing theentire camera system 1 in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 ismounted on the imaging apparatus 60 and the power is turned on.

In addition, in case of mounting the interchangeable lens 10 on theimaging apparatus 60, it is assumed that the mount type of the mountunit 71 of the imaging apparatus 60 and the mount type of the mount unit21 of the interchangeable lens 10 are the same. However, in a case wherethe two mount types are different, a mount adapter for converting themount types is inserted between the imaging apparatus 60 and theinterchangeable lens 10, so that even a different mount typeinterchangeable lens can be mounted.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic flow of the initializationprocess executed in the camera system 1.

In the initialization process, an initialization start command forstarting initialization is transmitted from the body control unit 72 onthe body 60 side to the lens control unit 22 of the interchangeable lens10.

Upon receiving the initialization start command, the lens control unit22 performs initialization for each element in the interchangeable lens10.

Herein, the element is a control unit which is a group of modules(parts) in the interchangeable lens 10 in a predetermined unit of adevice, an optical member, a function, or the like. In theinterchangeable lens 10 according to the embodiment, the elements may beclassified into a control mechanism of the zoom lens 23, a controlmechanism of the camera shake correction lens 24, a lock mechanism ofthe camera shake correction lens 24, a control mechanism of thediaphragm 25, a control mechanism of the focus lens 26, a controlmechanism of the liquid crystal ND filter 27, and a display mechanism ofthe lens barrel display unit 28.

In the following description, for simplifying the description, theelements of the control mechanism of the zoom lens 23 of theinterchangeable lens 10, the control mechanism of the camera shakecorrection lens 24, the lock mechanism of the camera shake correctionlens 24, the control mechanism of the diaphragm 25, the controlmechanism of the focus lens 26, the control mechanism of the liquidcrystal ND filter 27, and the display mechanism of the lens barreldisplay unit 28 are simply referred to as a zoom lens, a camera shakecontrol, a camera shake lock, a diaphragm, a focus lens, a liquidcrystal ND, and a lens barrel display unit, respectively. Upon receivingthe initialization start command, the lens control unit 22 starts theinitialization process for each element of the zoom lens, the camerashake control, the camera shake lock, the diaphragm, the focus lens, theliquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel display unit.

In addition, in FIG. 2, the three elements of the camera shake lock, theliquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel display unit which are elementscorresponding to the newly added configurations are omitted, and a casewhere the three new elements are not provided will be described.

At the timing when each element in the interchangeable lens 10 completesthe initialization, the lens control unit 22 transmits to the bodycontrol unit 72 an initialization completion signal indicating that theinitialization of each element has been completed. Specifically, at thetiming when the initialization of the focus lens has been completed, aninitialization completion signal of the focus lens is transmitted, andat the timing when the initialization of the diaphragm has beencompleted, an initialization completion signal of the diaphragm istransmitted. Similarly, at the timing when the initialization of thecamera shake control has been completed, an initialization completionsignal of the camera shake control is transmitted, and at the timingwhen the initialization of the zoom lens has been completed, aninitialization completion signal of the zoom lens is transmitted. Duringthe initialization process, the lens control unit 22 does not givenotice of the initialization status of each element sequentially.

Upon receiving the initialization completion signal representing thecompletion of initialization in unit of an element, the body controlunit 72 starts a initialization process (hereinafter, referred to as anelement corresponding initialization process) on the body sidecorresponding to an element of which the initialization has beencompleted, for each received element.

For example, upon receiving the initialization completion signal of thefocus lens, the body control unit 72 starts an element correspondinginitialization process corresponding to the focus lens, and uponreceiving the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm, thebody control unit 72 starts an element corresponding initializationprocess corresponding to the diaphragm. Similarly, upon receiving theinitialization completion signal of the camera shake control, the bodycontrol unit 72 starts an element corresponding initialization processcorresponding to the camera shake control, and upon receiving theinitialization completion signal of the zoom lens, the body control unit72 starts an element corresponding initialization process correspondingto the zoom lens. In the example of FIG. 2, the initialization processesof the entire interchangeable lens 10 side correspond to the intervalfrom the timing when the initialization start command is received andthe initialization of each element is started to the timing when theinitialization process of the zoom lens has been completed, that is,when the initialization process of the element is finally completed. Theinitialization processes of the entire body 60 side correspond to theinterval from the time when the initialization completion signal isfirst received and the element corresponding initialization processcorresponding to the element is started to the timing when the elementcorresponding initialization process corresponding to the last receivedinitialization completion signal has been completed.

In addition, although FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the lenscontrol unit 22 simultaneously starts the initialization processes ofthe elements, the order of execution of the initialization processes ofthe elements is arbitrary, and the start time points of theinitialization processes of the elements may be different.

On the body 60 side, the exposure adjustment process which is a processof adjusting the brightness to an appropriate range in response to thesetting of the light amount in the interchangeable lens 10 side can beexecuted when the initialization of the diaphragm changing the lightamount among the elements of the interchangeable lens 10 has beencompleted. The exposure adjustment process includes, for example,adjustment of a signal gain, adjustment of a shutter speed, adjustmentof white balance, and the like of the imaging device 76.

In general, among the element corresponding initialization processesexecuted by the body side, the element corresponding initializationprocess corresponding to the diaphragm (hereinafter, also referred to asdiaphragm element corresponding initialization process) includes theexposure adjustment process, and thus, the process time of the diaphragmelement corresponding initialization process is longer than those ofother element corresponding initialization processes.

In the camera system 1, as illustrated in FIG. 2, since theinitialization completion signals are sequentially transmitted in unitof an element of the interchangeable lens 10, the imaging apparatus 60side can sequentially start the necessary element correspondinginitialization processes according to the elements of which theinitialization completion signals have been received. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 2, even though the camera shake control or theinitialization of the elements of the zoom lens has not been completed,since the diaphragm element corresponding initialization process ofwhich the initialization process time is relatively long can be startedat the point of receiving the initialization completion signal of thediaphragm, it is possible to shorten the time required for theinitialization processes of the entire camera system 1 and to increasethe activation time. Herein, as described with reference to FIG. 2, inorder to complete the initialization by executing the initializationprocess in unit of an element, it is necessary for the interchangeablelens 10 and the body 60 to know the number of elements that transmit andreceive the initialization completion signals.

For example, in a case where the body 60 does not know the number ofelements of the initialization completion signals transmitted by theinterchangeable lens 10, the body 60 receives the sequentiallytransmitted initialization completion signals, but the body does notknow which of the initialization completion signals is an initializationcompletion signal of the last element and does not know how long to waitfor the initialization completion signal.

Namely, it may be difficult to grasp the timing when the initializationprocesses for all the elements have been completed. Therefore, in thecamera system 1, each of the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 isconfigured to notify the counter party of the element informationindicating the element to which each of the interchangeable lens and thebody corresponds.

<3. Initialization Execution Element Information Data Format>

A of FIG. 3 corresponds to the interchangeable lens 10 or the body 60itself and illustrates a data format at the time of notifying thecounter party of element information (hereinafter, referred to asinitialization execution element information) indicating the elementperforming the initialization.

The initialization execution element information is configured toinclude a data size, a file type identifier, one or more elementidentifiers, and element ver. information (element version information).Each data of the data size, the file type identifier, the elementidentifier, and the element ver. information is represented byinformation of 1 byte (8 bits). The element identifiers and the elementver. information are stored as many as the number corresponding to theelements on which the interchangeable lens 10 or the body 60 as atransmission source performs initialization.

Therefore, the initialization execution element information is of avariable length format of which the data size varies according to thenumber of elements.

The data size indicates the data size of the initialization executionelement information to be transmitted.

The file type identifier is information identifying whether theinitialization execution element information to be transmitted is theinitialization execution element information on the body 60 side(hereinafter, also referred to as body-side initialization executionelement information) or the initialization execution element informationon the interchangeable lens 10 side (hereinafter, also referred to aslens-side initialization execution element information).

For example, as illustrated in B of FIG. 3, in a case where theinitialization execution element information to be transmitted isinitialization execution element information on the body 60 side, 0x01his stored in the file type identifier. On the other hand, in a casewhere the initialization execution element information to be transmittedis the initialization execution element information on theinterchangeable lens 10 side, 0x02h is stored in the file typeidentifier. In addition, in FIGS. 3 to 5, the notation of 0xYYh denotesthat “YY” is expressed in hexadecimal notation.

The element identifier is information identifying an element on whichthe interchangeable lens 10 or the body 60 as a transmission sourceperforms initialization.

For example, as illustrated in C of FIG. 3, in a case where the elementon which the interchangeable lens 10 or the body 60 as a transmissionsource performs initialization is the diaphragm, 0x01h is stored in theelement identifier, and in a case where the element is the zoom lens,and 0x02h is stored in the element identifier. Similarly, in a casewhere the elements are the focus lens, the camera shake control, theliquid crystal ND, the camera shake lock, the liquid crystal displayunit, 0x03h, 0x04h, 0x05h, 0x06h, and 0x07h are stored in the elementidentifiers, respectively.

The element ver. information is information indicating versioninformation of an element indicated by an element identifier transmittedas a set with the element ver. information.

For example, as illustrated in D of FIG. 3, in a case where the elementver. information is OxOlh, the information indicates that the element isan initial setting version, and in a case where the element ver.information is 0x02h, the information indicates that the element is anoption setting version.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the body-side initialization executionelement information which is initialization execution elementinformation transmitted by the body 60 side.

According to the example of FIG. 4, the body 60 corresponds to each ofthe elements of the focus lens, the zoom lens, the diaphragm, the camerashake control, the liquid crystal display unit, the camera shake lock,and the liquid crystal ND and performs initialization thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the lens-side initialization executionelement information which is initialization execution elementinformation transmitted by the interchangeable lens 10 side. Accordingto the example of FIG. 5, the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds toeach of the elements of the zoom lens, the focus lens, the diaphragm,and the camera shake control and performs initialization thereof.

The element identifier and the element ver. information are storedcorresponding to the number of elements on which the interchangeablelens 10 or the body 60 as a transmission source performs initialization.However, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the order of storing theelement identifier and the element ver. information is considered to bearbitrary, and there is no particular order. Therefore, the lens controlunit 22 or the body control unit 72 that has received the initializationexecution element information sorts the element identifiers and theelement ver. information stored in the received initialization executionelement information of the counter party in an arbitrary order such as adescending order and compares the initialization execution elementinformation with the initialization execution element information of thelens control unit itself to determine whether or not the counter partyside has an element to which the lens control unit itself does notcorrespond. In addition, in an actual combination of the interchangeablelens 10 and the body 60, there may be cases where it may not be saidthat one of the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 is higher infunction, for example, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 and thebody 60 are provided with elements which do not exist on the counterparty. In this specification, a case where the interchangeable lens 10is higher in function than the body 60 denotes a case where theinterchangeable lens 10 is provided with an element which the body 60does not correspond to. On the contrary, a case where theinterchangeable lens 10 is lower in function than the body 60 denotes acase where the interchangeable lens 10 is not provided with an elementwhich the body 60 corresponds to and can perform initialization on.

<4. First Initialization Process>

The initialization process executed by the camera system 1 will bedescribed more in detail.

A first initialization process which is a first example of theinitialization process according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described.

<4.1 Case where Interchangeable Lens is Higher in Function than Body>

First, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is higher in functionthan the body 60, specifically, a case where the interchangeable lens 10is provided with three new elements of a camera shake lock, a liquidcrystal ND, and a barrel display unit but the body 60 does notcorrespond to the three new elements will be described.

The body 60 transmits, to the interchangeable lens 10, elementinformation indicating an element to which the body itself correspondsas body-side initialization execution element information indicatingelements on which the body performs initialization.

A of FIG. 6 illustrates elements (body-side elements) which areindicated by the body-side initialization execution element informationand on which the body 60 performs initialization. The body 60 does notcorrespond to the three new elements of the camera shake lock, theliquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel display unit and performsinitialization on four elements of the diaphragm, the zoom lens, thefocus lens, and the camera shake control.

The interchangeable lens 10 also transmits, to the body 60, elementinformation indicating an element to which the interchangeable lensitself corresponds as lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating elements on which the interchangeable lensperforms initialization.

B of FIG. 6 illustrates elements (lens-side elements) which areindicated by the lens-side initialization execution element informationand on which the interchangeable lens 10 performs initialization.

The interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to three new elements of thecamera shake lock, the liquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel displayunit and performs initialization on seven elements of the diaphragm, thezoom lens, the focus lens, the camera shake control, the liquid crystalND, the camera shake lock, and the lens barrel display unit.

In this case, since the body 60 does not correspond to the three newelements of the camera shake lock, the liquid crystal ND, and the lensbarrel display unit, the interchangeable lens 10 may not transmitinitialization completion signals of these elements to the body 60.

As illustrated in C of FIG. 6, the elements of which the initializationcompletion signals the interchangeable lens 10 can transmit are elementscommon to the body-side initialization execution element information andthe lens-side initialization execution element information, that is,elements corresponding to an operation result obtained by sorting thebody-side initialization execution element information and the lens-sideinitialization execution element information in an arbitrary order andperforming AND operation. Therefore, the interchangeable lens 10 cantransmit the initialization completion signal for only the diaphragm,the zoom lens, the focus lens, and the camera shake control.

Herein, as described with reference to FIG. 2, the body control unit 72on the body 60 side that has received the initialization completionsignal in unit of an element executes the element correspondinginitialization processes. If the interchangeable lens 10 transmits theinitialization completion signal of the diaphragm, the body 60 startsthe diaphragm element corresponding initialization process. If there isan element that influences the exposure adjustment process among theelements of which the initialization completion signal theinterchangeable lens 10 does not transmit, it may be necessary to waituntil the initialization of the element has been completed and, then, totransmit the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm. This isbecause, if the light amount setting on the interchangeable lens 10 sidechanges after the start of the diaphragm element correspondinginitialization process on the body 60 side, the exposure adjustmentprocess does not become a correct value.

Therefore, in preparation for a case where the body 60 does notcorrespond to each of the elements included in the interchangeable lens10 itself, the interchangeable lens 10 retains the exposure adjustmentprocess information concerning whether each of the elements isassociated with (or influences) the exposure adjustment process in thememory unit 30.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, as data where bit information of“1” in a case associated with the exposure adjustment process and bitinformation of “0” in a case not associated with the exposure adjustmentprocess are arranged in a predetermined element order, the exposureadjustment process information is stored in the memory unit 30.

Alternatively, as the exposure adjustment process information, a list ofonly the elements associated with the exposure adjustment process may bestored in the memory unit 30. The data format of the exposure adjustmentprocess information may be any format.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, among the three new elements of the camerashake lock, the liquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel display unit towhich the body 60 does not correspond, similarly to the diaphragm, theliquid crystal ND is also an element changing the light amount, so thatthe liquid crystal ND is also an element associated with the exposureadjustment process.

Hereinafter, an element that influences the exposure adjustment processis referred to as an exposure influencing element, and an element thatdoes not influence the exposure adjustment process is referred to as anexposure non-influencing element.

With respect to an element (hereinafter, also referred to as a“non-corresponding exposure influencing element”) which the body 60 doesnot correspond to and, thus, which may have an undesirable influence onthe body 60 side if the initialization completion signal thereof istransmitted and which influences the exposure adjustment process, thelens control unit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal tobe included in the element of the diaphragm.

On the other hand, with respect to an element (hereinafter, alsoreferred to as a “non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element”)which the body 60 does not correspond to and, thus, of which theinitialization completion signal may not be transmitted and which doesnot influence the exposure adjustment process, the lens control unit 22transmits the initialization completion signal to be included in theelements other than the diaphragm of which the initialization completionsignal can be transmitted.

In addition, with respect to exposure influencing elements and exposurenon-influencing elements to which the body 60 corresponds, the elementsare referred to as corresponding exposure influencing elements andcorresponding exposure non-influencing elements, respectively.

In this specification, for example, the phrase “transmitting theinitialization completion signal (of the second element) to be includedin the second element with respect to the first element” denotes thatthe initialization completion signal of the first element is nottransmitted, and the second initialization completion is transmitted atthe time when the initialization of both of the first element and thesecond element has been completed.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the transmission of the initializationcompletion signal for the liquid crystal ND which is an element whichthe body 60 does not correspond to and which influences the exposureadjustment process (non-corresponding exposure influencing element).

With respect to the liquid crystal ND which is the non-correspondingexposure influencing element, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the lens controlunit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal to be included inthe diaphragm to the body control unit 72 at the time when theinitialization of both of the diaphragm and the liquid crystal ND hasbeen completed.

More specifically, as illustrated in A of FIG. 8, even in a case wherethe initialization of the diaphragm has been completed earlier, the lenscontrol unit 22 does not transmit the initialization completion signalof the diaphragm at the time when the initialization of the liquidcrystal ND has not been completed, and the lens control unit transmitsthe initialization completion signal of the diaphragm at the time whenthe initialization of the liquid crystal ND has been completed.

Furthermore, as illustrated in B of FIG. 8, in a case where theinitialization of the liquid crystal ND has been completed earlier,after that, the lens control unit 22 transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm at the time when the initializationof the diaphragm has been completed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the transmission of the initializationcompletion signal for the lens barrel display unit which is an element(non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element) which the body 60does not correspond to and which does not influence the exposureadjustment process.

With respect to the lens barrel display unit which is anon-corresponding exposure non-influencing element, the element isprocessed independently of the initialization completion of thediaphragm, and the lens control unit 22 transmits the initializationcompletion signal to be included in the corresponding exposurenon-influencing element at the time when the initialization of thecorresponding exposure non-influencing element has been completed. Inconsideration of the timing of the initialization completion of thediaphragm, as the initialization completion timing of the lens barreldisplay unit and the initialization completion timing of thecorresponding exposure non-influencing element, there may be fourpatterns A to D in FIG. 9.

A and B of FIG. 9 illustrate examples of a case where initialization ofa plurality of exposure non-influencing elements has been completedafter initialization of the diaphragm has been completed earlier. A ofFIG. 9 is an example of a case where, among the plurality of exposurenon-influencing elements, the initialization of the correspondingexposure non-influencing element to which the body 60 corresponds hasbeen completed, and after that, the initialization of the lens barreldisplay unit to which the body 60 does not correspond has beencompleted. B of FIG. 9 is an example of a case where, among theplurality of exposure non-influencing elements, the initialization ofthe lens barrel display unit to which the body 60 does not correspondhas been completed, and after that, the initialization of thecorresponding exposure non-influencing element to which the body 60corresponds has been completed.

C and D of FIG. 9 illustrate examples of a case where the initializationof the diaphragm has been completed after the initialization of aplurality of exposure non-influencing elements has been completedearlier. C of FIG. 9 is an example of a case where, among the pluralityof exposure non-influencing elements, the initialization of thecorresponding exposure non-influencing element to which the body 60corresponds has been completed, and after that, the initialization ofthe lens barrel display unit to which the body 60 does not correspondhas been completed. D of FIG. 9 is an example of a case where theinitialization of the lens barrel display unit to which the body 60 doesnot correspond has been completed earlier, and after that, theinitialization of the corresponding exposure non-influencing element towhich the body 60 corresponds has been completed.

Each of the four patterns A to D of FIG. 9 will be described in detailwith reference to FIGS. 10 to 13.

FIG. 10 illustrates a process flow corresponding to the patternillustrated in A of FIG. 9.

First, in step S11, the body control unit 72 transmits body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization, together with aninitialization start command requesting the start of initialization, tothe lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information, in step S20, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating elements on which the interchangeable lens 10performs initialization to the body control unit 72.

Upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation transmitted from the lens control unit 22, in step S12, thebody control unit 72 performs an AND operation between the lens-sideinitialization execution element information and the body-sideinitialization execution element information to recognize theinitialization completion transmission element which is an element ofwhich the initialization completion signal is transmitted. In this case,the initialization completion transmission elements are four elements,namely, the diaphragm, the zoom lens, the focus lens, and the camerashake control.

Upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation transmitted from the lens control unit 22, the body controlunit 72 can recognize that the initialization start command is normallyreceived by the interchangeable lens 10 side and the initializationprocess is performed on the interchangeable lens 10 side, in otherwords, that it is possible to expect the initialization completionsignal of each element to be received. On the other hand, aftertransmitting the lens-side initialization execution element informationin step S20, in step S21, the lens control unit 22 performs an ANDoperation between the received body-side initialization executionelement information and the initialization execution element informationindicating elements on which the lens control unit itself performsinitialization.

Therefore, the elements of which the initialization completion signalsthe lens control unit 22 transmits are determined. Subsequently, in stepS22, the initialization process of each element is started. Herein, thelens-side initialization execution element information is transmittedbefore the start of the initialization process. However, thetransmission of the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation may be performed after the AND operation or after the startof the initialization process. In addition, the start of theinitialization process and the transmission of the lens-sideinitialization execution element information may be simultaneouslyperformed.

In step S23, which is the timing when the initialization process of thezoom lens has been completed, the lens control unit 22 transmits theinitialization completion signal of the zoom lens to the body controlunit 72.

In step S24, which is the timing when the initialization process of thefocus lens has been completed, the lens control unit 22 transmits thefocus lens initialization completion signal to the body control unit 72.

After step S24, the initialization process of the camera shake controlhas been completed, but since the camera shake control is the lastcorresponding exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization completion signal is to be transmitted, the lens controlunit 22 does not transmit the initialization completion signal of thecamera shake control at this timing, but the lens control unit transmitsthe initialization completion signal of the camera shake control to thebody control unit 72 in step S26 which is the timing when theinitialization of both of the camera shake lock and the lens barreldisplay unit has been completed. Namely, the initialization completionof both of the camera shake lock and the lens barrel display unit isincluded in the initialization completion signal of the camera shakecontrol. However, this does not denote that signals corresponding to theinitialization completion signals of the camera shake lock and the lensbarrel display unit are included in the initialization completion signalof the camera shake control.

With respect to the exposure influencing element, the lens control unit22 does not transmit the initialization completion signal of thediaphragm at the timing when the initialization of the diaphragm hasbeen completed, but the lens control unit transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm to the body control unit 72 in stepS25 which is the timing when the initialization of the liquid crystal NDhas been completed. Namely, the initialization completion of the liquidcrystal ND is included in the initialization completion signal of thediaphragm. However, this does not denote that a signal corresponding tothe initialization completion signal of the liquid crystal ND isincluded in the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm.

At the time when the body control unit 72 receives the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm in step S25, the body control unit 72starts the diaphragm element corresponding initialization processincluding the exposure adjustment process.

FIG. 11 illustrates a process flow corresponding to the patternillustrated in B of FIG. 9.

In FIG. 10, in the interchangeable lens 10, the initialization of thecamera shake control has been completed earlier, and after that, theinitialization of the camera shake lock and the initialization of thelens barrel display unit have been completed in order.

However, in FIG. 11, the initialization of the camera shake lock and theinitialization of the lens barrel display unit have been completedearlier, and after that, the initialization of the camera shake controlhas been completed.

Even in this case, the initialization process is similar to the flowillustrated in FIG. 10, and in step S26, the initialization completionsignal of the camera shake control including the initializationcompletion of both of the camera shake lock and the lens barrel displayunit is transmitted to the body control unit 72. The other processes aresimilar to those in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 illustrates a process flow corresponding to the patternillustrated in C of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is different from FIG. 10 in that the initialization completiontiming of the liquid crystal ND which is the exposure influencingelement is later than the initialization completion timing of the camerashake lock and the barrel display unit which are the exposurenon-influencing elements. Therefore, in FIG. 12, the order of step S25of transmitting the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm tothe body control unit 72 and step S26 of transmitting the initializationcompletion signal of the camera shake control to the body control unit72 is opposite to that of the case of FIG. 10. With respect to theothers, FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 10.

At the timing when the initialization of the camera shake control hasbeen completed, the lens control unit 22 does not transmit theinitialization completion signal of the camera shake control, and at thetiming when the initialization of both of the camera shake lock and thelens barrel display unit has been completed, the lens control unit 22transmits the initialization completion signal of the camera shakecontrol to the body control unit 72.

FIG. 13 illustrates a process flow corresponding to the patternillustrated in D of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is different from FIG. 11 in that the initialization completiontiming of the liquid crystal ND which is the exposure influencingelement is later than the initialization completion timing of the camerashake lock and the barrel display unit which are the exposurenon-influencing elements. Therefore, in FIG. 13, the order of step S25of transmitting the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm tothe body control unit 72 and step S26 of transmitting the initializationcompletion signal of the camera shake control to the body control unit72 is opposite to that in the case of FIG. 11. With respect to theothers, FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 11.

The lens control unit 22 transmits the initialization completion signalof the camera shake control to the body control unit 72 at the timingwhen the initialization of both of the camera shake lock and the lensbarrel display unit has been completed, and after that, theinitialization of the camera shake control has been completed. Asdescribed above, the lens control unit 22 transmits the initializationcompletion signal in an exclusive manner with respect to thenon-corresponding exposure influencing element which is an element whichthe body 60 side does not correspond to and which influences theexposure adjustment process and the non-corresponding exposurenon-influencing element which is an element which the body 60 side doesnot correspond to and which does not influence the exposure adjustmentprocess. Namely, with respect to the non-corresponding exposureinfluencing element, the lens control unit 22 transmits theinitialization completion signal to be included in the element of thediaphragm, and with respect to the non-corresponding exposurenon-influencing element, the lens control unit transmits theinitialization completion signal to be included in the correspondingexposure non-influencing element other than the diaphragm of which theinitialization completion signal can be transmitted.

In a case where the element to which the body 60 side does notcorrespond influences the exposure adjustment process, the timing ofgiving notice of the initialization completion signal of the diaphragmis set as the timing satisfying an AND condition with the timing whenthe initialization of the non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelement has been completed and is transmitted from the interchangeablelens 10, so that the element can be allowed not to influence theexposure adjustment process on the body 60 side. In addition, in a casewhere the element to which the body 60 side does not correspond does notinfluence the exposure adjustment process, the initialization completionof the non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element is allowed tobe associated with (be included in) the exposure non-influencing element(corresponding exposure non-influencing element) to which the body 60side corresponds, the element can be allowed to be associated with theexposure adjustment process on the body 60 side. As a result, the body60 side can start the diaphragm element corresponding initializationprocess according to the initialization completion of the exposureinfluencing element without waiting for the initialization completion ofthe entire interchangeable lens 10, and thus, the start of the exposureadjustment process can be performed earlier, so that it is possible toshorten the initialization time of the camera system 1 as a whole.

In addition, FIGS. 10 to 13 illustrate examples where the initializationprocesses of the diaphragm and the liquid crystal ND which are elementswhich influence the exposure adjustment process are associated, and theinitialization of the diaphragm has been completed earlier asillustrated in A of FIG. 8, and after that, the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm is transmitted at the time when theinitialization of the liquid crystal ND has been completed. However, asillustrated in B of FIG. 8, even in a case where the completion ofinitialization signal of the diaphragm is transmitted at the time whenthe initialization of the liquid crystal ND has been completed earlier,and after that, the initialization of the diaphragm has been completed,similar process is performed.

Furthermore, FIGS. 10 to 13 illustrate the examples where theinitialization completion signal of the camera shake lock and the lensbarrel display unit which are exposure non-influencing elements isincluded in the initialization completion signal of the camera shakecontrol, but this is merely an example.

In a case where, in the state where the initialization of thenon-corresponding exposure non-influencing element has not beencompleted, the corresponding exposure non-influencing element becomesthe last one, at the time when the initialization of both of the lastremaining corresponding exposure non-influencing element and thenon-corresponding exposure non-influencing element has been completed,the initialization completion signal of the corresponding exposurenon-influencing element is transmitted. Namely, the initializationcompletion signal of the non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelement is included in the initialization completion signal of the lastremaining corresponding exposure non-influencing element.

In addition, in a case where there are two or more remaining exposurenon-influencing elements (corresponding exposure non-influencingelements) of which the initialization completion signals are to betransmitted to the body 60 side, the initialization completion signalsof the non-corresponding exposure non-influencing elements are includedin the initialization completion signal of the corresponding exposurenon-influencing element of which the initialization has been completedimmediately after that.

A case where there are two or more remaining exposure non-influencingelements (corresponding exposure non-influencing elements) of which theinitialization completion signals are to be transmitted to the body 60side will be described with specific examples. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 14, it is assumed that the initialization has beencompleted in the order of the camera shake lock, the zoom lens, the lensbarrel display unit, the focus lens, and the camera shake control whichare exposure non-influencing elements.

At the time of the initialization completion of each of the camera shakelock and the lens barrel display unit which are exposure non-influencingelements (non-corresponding exposure non-influencing elements) which thebody 60 side does not correspond to, two or more exposurenon-influencing elements (corresponding exposure non-influencingelements) (more specifically, the focus lens and camera shake control)of which the initialization completion signal is to be transmitted tothe body 60 side remain.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the initialization completionof the camera shake lock is included in the initialization completionsignal of the zoom lens which is an corresponding exposurenon-influencing element of which the initialization has been completedimmediately after that, and the completion of the initialization of thelens barrel display unit is included in the initialization completionsignal of the focus lens which is a corresponding exposurenon-influencing element of which the initialization have been completedimmediately after that. However, as described above, signalscorresponding to the initialization completion signals of the camerashake lock and the lens barrel display unit which are non-correspondingexposure non-influencing elements are not included in the initializationcompletion signal of the including side element.

<Flowchart of First Initialization Process on Body Side>

Next, in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to anew element, a first initialization process executed on the body 60 sidewill be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 15. Thisprocess is started, for example, when the interchangeable lens 10 isattached to the body 60 and the power is turned on.

First, in step S51, the body control unit 72 transmits an initializationstart command for starting initialization, together with body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization, to the lens control unit 22.

In step S52, the body control unit 72 determines whether or notlens-side initialization execution element information indicatingelements on which the interchangeable lens 10 performs initializationhas been received from the lens control unit 22, and the process of stepS52 is repeated until it is determined that the lens-side initializationexecution element information has been received.

Then, in step S52, in a case where it is determined that the lens-sideinitialization execution element information has been received, theprocess proceeds to step S53, and the body control unit 72 performs anAND operation between the initialization execution element informationand the body-side initialization execution element information.Therefore, the lens control unit 22 can recognize the element of whichthe initialization completion signal is transmitted.

In step S54, the body control unit 72 sets the number of elementscorresponding to a result of the AND operation to a variable d_countindicating an element scheduled to be received. According to the exampleof FIG. 6, the variable d_count is set to 4.

In step S55, the body control unit 72 sets a conversion i_count forcounting the elements of which the initialization completion signalshave been received to 0.

In step S56, the body control unit 72 determines whether or not theinitialization completion signal has been received, and the process ofstep S56 is repeated until it is determined that the initializationcompletion signal has been received.

Then, in a case where it is determined in step S56 that theinitialization completion signal has been received, the process proceedsto step S57, and the body control unit 72 determines whether or not theelement of which the initialization completion signal has been receivedis an element associated with the diaphragm. In a case where it isdetermined in step S57 that the element of which the initializationcompletion signal has been received is not associated with thediaphragm, the process proceeds to step S58, and the body control unit72 starts the element corresponding initialization process which is aninitialization process corresponding to the received element (exposurenon-influencing element).

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S57 that theelement of which the initialization completion signal has been receivedis an element associated with the diaphragm (exposure influencingelement), the process proceeds to step S59, and the body control unit 72determines whether or not the element of which the initializationcompletion signal has been received is the last element associated withthe diaphragm. In other words, the process of step S59 is a process ofdetermining whether or not the element of which the initializationcompletion signal has been received is the last element associated withthe exposure adjustment process. Under the conditions of theinterchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 according to this embodimentdescribed with reference to FIG. 6 and the like, the element of whichthe initialization completion signal is transmitted and which isassociated with the diaphragm are only the diaphragm. However, there maybe a case (to be described later) where the body 60 corresponds to threenew elements of the camera shake lock, the liquid crystal ND, and thelens barrel display unit or a case where other elements associated withthe exposure adjustment process are included. In step S59, it isdetermined whether or not the element of which the initializationcompletion signal has been received is the last element on theinterchangeable lens 10 side which changes a light amount and the body60 may start the exposure adjustment process.

In a case where it is determined in step S59 that the element of whichthe initialization completion signal has been received is not the lastelement associated with the diaphragm, the process of step S60 isskipped, and the process proceeds to step S61.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S59 that theelement of which the initialization completion signal has been receivedis the last element associated with the diaphragm, the process proceedsto step S60, and the body control unit 72 starts the exposure adjustmentprocess.

Next, in step S61, the body control unit 72 increments the conversioni_count for counting the elements of which the initialization completionsignals have been received by 1.

In step S62, the body control unit 72 determines whether or not theconversion i_count for counting the elements of which the initializationcompletion signals have been received is equal to the variable d_countindicating the elements scheduled to be received.

In step S62, in a case where it is determined that the conversioni_count for counting the elements of which the initialization completionsignals have been received is not equal to the variable d_countindicating the elements scheduled to be received, the process returns tostep S56. As a result, the body control unit 72 waits again until theinitialization completion signal of a predetermined element is received.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S62 that theconversion i_count for counting the elements of which the initializationcompletion signals have been received is equal to the variable d_countindicating the elements scheduled to be received, the process proceedsto step S63, and the body control unit 72 determines whether all theelement corresponding initialization processes executed on the body 60side have been completed. In step S63, the process waits until it isdetermined that all the element corresponding initialization processesexecuted on the body 60 side have been completed. In addition, in a casewhere it is determined in step S63 that all the element correspondinginitialization processes executed on the body 60 side have beencompleted, the first initialization process on the body 60 side has beencompleted.

The first initialization process on the body 60 side is executed in sucha manner described above.

<Flowchart of First Initialization Process on Lens Side>

Next, in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to anew element, a first initialization process executed on theinterchangeable lens 10 side will be described with reference to theflowchart of FIG. 16. This process is started, for example, when theinitialization start command and the body-side initialization executionelement information transmitted from the body control unit 72 arereceived.

First, in step S71, the lens control unit 22 transmits lens-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the interchangeable lens 10 performs initialization to the bodycontrol unit 72 on the basis of the received initialization startcommand and the received body-side initialization execution elementinformation. Note that, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the lens-sideinitialization execution element information includes informationindicating all elements on which the interchangeable lens 10 performsinitialization.

In step S72, the lens control unit 22 performs the AND operation on thereceived body-side initialization execution element information and thereceived lens-side initialization execution element information.Therefore, the elements of which the initialization completion signalsthe lens control unit 22 transmits are determined. In step S73, the lenscontrol unit 22 sets the number of elements on which initialization isto be performed to a variable d_count indicating the elements scheduledto be implemented. According to the example of FIG. 6, the variabled_count is set to 7.

In step S74, the lens control unit 22 sets a conversion i_count forcounting the elements of which the initialization process has beencompleted to 0.

In addition, the variables d_count and i_count are independent variablesfor the lens control unit 22 on the interchangeable lens 10 side and thebody control unit 72 on the body 60 side.

In step S75, the lens control unit 22 starts the initialization processfor each element with respect to all elements requiring initialization.The process of step S75 corresponds to the processes of step S22 ofFIGS. 10 to 14. In this embodiment, the initialization processes of allthe elements are started simultaneously, but the initialization processmay be performed in a predetermined order or with a priority.

In step S76, the lens control unit 22 determines whether there is anelement of which the initialization process has been completed among theelements which are in initialization execution.

In step S76, the process waits until it is determined that there is anelement of which the initialization process has been completed, and in acase where it is determined that there is an initialization-completedelement, the process proceeds to step S77. The, in step S77, the lenscontrol unit 22 determines whether or not the element of theinitialization process has been completed is an exposure influencingelement.

In a case where it is determined in step S77 that the element of whichthe initialization process has been completed is an exposure influencingelement, the process proceeds to step S78, and the lens control unit 22executes the exposure influencing element process. Details of thisprocess will be described later with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S77 that theelement of which the initialization process has been completed is not anexposure influencing element, the process proceeds to step S79, and thelens control unit 22 executes the exposure non-influencing elementprocess. Details of this process will be described later with referenceto FIG. 19.

In step S80, the lens control unit 22 increments the conversion i_countfor counting the elements of which the initialization process has beencompleted by 1.

In step S81, the lens control unit 22 determines whether or not theconversion i_count for counting the elements of which the initializationprocess has been completed is equal to the variable d_count indicatingthe elements scheduled to be implemented.

In step S81, in a case where it is determined that the conversioni_count for counting the elements of which the initialization processhas been completed is not equal to the variable d_count indicating theelements scheduled to be implemented, the process returns to step S76.As a result, the lens control unit 22 waits again until the next elementafter the completion of the initialization process is generated.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S81 that theconversion i_count for counting the elements of which the initializationprocess has been completed is equal to the variable d_count indicatingthe elements scheduled to be implemented, the first initializationprocess on the interchangeable lens 10 side has been completed.

Next, the exposure influencing element process executed in step S78 ofFIG. 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 17.This exposure influencing element process is an exposure influencingelement process in a case where the body 60 does not correspond to allthe exposure influencing elements other than the diaphragm.

In this process, first, in step S101, the lens control unit 22determines whether or not the initialization of all the other exposureinfluencing elements has been completed.

In step S101, in a case where it is determined that the initializationof all the other exposure influencing elements has not been completed,the lens control unit 22 ends the exposure influencing element processand returns to the first initialization process in FIG. 16.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S101 thatthe initialization of all the other exposure influencing elements havebeen completed, the process proceeds to step S102, and the lens controlunit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal of the diaphragmto the body control unit 72. With respect to the transmission of theinitialization completion signal of the diaphragm to the body controlunit 72, the initialization completion signal is stored in the queuebuffer for command transmission by the lens control unit 22, and when apredetermined transmission timing arrives by the command transmissioncontrol processing described later with reference to FIG. 35, theinitialization completion signal is transmitted to the body control unit72. After that, the exposure influencing element process is ended, andthe process returns to the first initialization process in FIG. 16.

As described above, in the exposure influencing element process in acase where the body 60 does not correspond to all the exposureinfluencing elements other than the diaphragm, in a case where thediaphragm and the non-corresponding exposure influencing elements towhich the body 60 does not correspond and which influences the exposureadjustment process of the body 60 are included in a plurality of theelements which the interchangeable lens 10 includes, the lens controlunit 22 stores the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm inthe queue buffer for command transmission at the timing according to theinitialization completion of all the non-corresponding exposureinfluencing elements and the diaphragm. In other words, the lens controlunit 22 stores the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm inthe queue buffer for command transmission on condition that theinitialization of all the non-corresponding exposure influencingelements and the diaphragm has been completed.

Next, the exposure influencing element process executed in step S78 ofFIG. 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 18.This exposure influencing element process is an exposure influencingelement process in a case where there is an exposure influencing elementto which the body 60 corresponds besides the diaphragm.

In this process, first, in step S110, the lens control unit 22determines whether or not the exposure influencing element of which theinitialization has been completed is the exposure influencing element(corresponding exposure influencing element) to which the body 60corresponds.

In a case where it is determined in step S110 that the exposureinfluencing element of which the initialization has been completed isthe exposure influencing element to which the body 60 corresponds, theprocess proceeds to step S111, and the lens control unit 22 determineswhether or not the wait for initialization completion of the exposureinfluencing element to which the body 60 corresponds is the last one.

In a case where it is determined in step S111 that the wait forinitialization completion of the exposure influencing element to whichthe body 60 corresponds is not the last one, the process proceeds tostep S112, and the lens control unit 22 stores the initializationcompletion signal of the corresponding exposure influencing element ofwhich the initialization has been completed in the queue buffer forcommand transmission and transmits the initialization completion signalto the body control unit 72. The exposure influencing element process isended, and the process returns to the first initialization process inFIG. 16.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S111 thatthe wait for initialization completion of the exposure influencingelement to which the body 60 corresponds is the last one, the processproceeds to step S113, and the lens control unit 22 determines whetheror not an element of which the initialization has not been completedexists among the other exposure influencing elements.

In step S113, in a case where it is determined that the element of whichthe initialization has not been completed exists among the otherexposure influencing elements, the exposure influencing element processis ended, and the process returns to the first initialization process inFIG. 16.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S113 thatthe element of which the initialization has not been completed does notexist among the other exposure influencing elements, the processproceeds to step S114, and the lens control unit 22 stores theinitialization completion signal of the last corresponding exposureinfluencing element in the queue buffer for command transmission andtransmits the initialization completion signal to the body control unit72. The exposure influencing element process is ended, and the processreturns to the first initialization process in FIG. 16.

In addition, in a case where it is determined in step S110 that theexposure influencing element of which the initialization has beencompleted is not the exposure influencing element to which the body 60corresponds, the process proceeds to step S115, and the lens controlunit 22 determines whether there is an element of which theinitialization has not been completed in the other exposure influencingelements.

In a case where it is determined in step S115 that there is the elementof which the initialization has not been completed among the otherexposure influencing elements, the exposure influencing element processis ended, and the process returns to the first initialization process inFIG. 16.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S115 thatthere is no element of which the initialization has not been completedamong the other exposure influencing elements, the process proceeds tostep S114 described above, and the lens control unit 22 stores theinitialization completion signal of the diaphragm in the queue bufferfor command transmission and transmits the initialization completionsignal to the body control unit 72.

The exposure influencing element process in a case where there is anexposure influencing element to which the body 60 corresponds in theexposure influencing element other than the diaphragm is executed insuch a manner as described heretofore.

Next, the exposure non-influencing element process executed in step S79of FIG. 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 19.

In the process, first, in step S121, the lens control unit 22 determineswhether or not the wait for completion of the exposure non-influencingelement returning the initialization completion signal is the remainingone.

In a case where it is determined in step S121 that the wait forcompletion of the exposure non-influencing element returning theinitialization completion signal is not the remaining one (two or more),the process proceeds to step S122, and the lens control unit 22determines whether or not the exposure non-influencing element of whichthe initialization process has been completed is the exposurenon-influencing element (corresponding exposure non-influencing element)to which the body 60 corresponds.

In a case where it is determined in step S122 that the exposurenon-influencing element of which the initialization process has beencompleted is not an exposure non-influencing element to which the body60 corresponds, that is, it is determined that the exposurenon-influencing element is a non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelement, the process of step S123 is skipped and the exposurenon-influencing element process is ended. Therefore, in a case where theexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization process hasbeen completed is an element to which the body 60 does not correspond,the initialization completion signal is not transmitted.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S122 thatthe exposure non-influencing element of which the initialization processhas been completed is an exposure non-influencing element to which thebody 60 corresponds, the process proceeds to step S123, and the lenscontrol unit 22 stores the initialization completion signal of theexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization process hasbeen completed in the queue buffer for command transmission andtransmits the initialization completion signal to the body control unit72. On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S121that the wait for completion of the exposure non-influencing elementreturning the initialization completion signal is the remaining one, theprocess proceeds to step S124, and the lens control unit 22 determineswhether or not there is another exposure non-influencing element ofwhich the initialization has not been completed.

In a case where it is determined in step S124 that there is no anotherexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization has notbeen completed, the process proceeds to step S123 described above, andthe lens control unit 22 stores the initialization completion signal ofthe exposure non-influencing element of which the initialization processhas been completed in the queue buffer for command transmission andtransmits the initialization completion signal to the body control unit72.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S124 thatthere is another exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization has not been completed, the exposure non-influencingelement process is ended. Accordingly, in a case where it is determinedthat there is still another exposure non-influencing element of whichthe initialization has not been completed, the initialization completionsignal is not transmitted, and the exposure non-influencing elementprocess is ended.

According to the exposure non-influencing element process describedheretofore, in a case where there are two or more exposurenon-influencing elements returning the initialization completionsignals, in other words, there are two or more exposure non-influencingelements to which the body 60 corresponds and of which theinitialization completion signals are not transmitted, the lens controlunit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal of the element atthe time when the initialization of the exposure non-influencing element(corresponding exposure non-influencing element) to which the body 60corresponds has been completed.

Then, in a case where the exposure non-influencing element that returnsthe initialization completion signal, in other words, the exposurenon-influencing element (corresponding exposure non-influencing element)to which the body 60 corresponds and of which the initializationcompletion signal has not been transmitted is the last one, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal of thelast corresponding exposure non-influencing element at the time when theinitialization of all the non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelements has been completed. Namely, the initialization completionsignal of the corresponding exposure non-influencing element in a casewhere it is determined in the previous step S124 that there is anotherexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization has notbeen completed and the initialization completion signal of thecorresponding exposure non-influencing element which remains withoutbeing transmitted is included in the initialization completion signal ofthe exposure non-influencing element in a case where it is determined instep S124 that there is no exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization has not been completed and the process of step S123 isperformed, and the initialization completion signal is transmitted tothe body control unit 72.

The first initialization process on the interchangeable lens 10 side isexecuted in such a manner as described heretofore.

According to the first initialization process of the camera system 1described above, even in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10corresponds to a new element, the interchangeable lens 10 can performinitialization of all the elements which the interchangeable lensincludes, and the body 60 can appropriately start the initialization ofthe body 60 side in the order in which the necessary initialization hasbeen completed in units of an element on the interchangeable lens 10side including the elements to which the body itself does notcorrespond. In addition, the initialization completion signal of theelement to which the body 60 does not correspond is not received.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements includedin each of the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and toappropriately execute the initialization process.

Upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation, the body control unit 72 can recognize that theinitialization start command is normally received by the interchangeablelens 10 side and the initialization process is performed on theinterchangeable lens 10 side, in other words, that it is possible toexpect the initialization completion signal of each element to bereceived.

In addition, the body control unit 72 performs an AND operation betweenthe lens-side initialization execution element information transmittedfrom the lens control unit 22 and the body-side initialization executionelement information of the body control unit itself, so that the bodycontrol unit can recognize the element of which the initializationcompletion signal is transmitted from the interchangeable lens 10 side.

<4.2 Case where Interchangeable Lens and Body are Equivalent inFunction>

Next, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 areequivalent in function, in other words, a case where the elements towhich the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 correspond arecoincident with each other will be described.

Specifically, a case where, similarly to the interchangeable lens 10,the body 60 can correspond to three elements of the camera shake lock,the liquid crystal ND, and the lens barrel display unit in addition tothe diaphragm, the zoom lens, the focus lens, and the camera shakecontrol will be described.

A of FIG. 20 illustrates elements which are indicated by the body-sideinitialization execution element information and on which the body 60performs initialization.

B of FIG. 20 illustrates the elements which are indicated by thelens-side initialization execution element information and on which theinterchangeable lens 10 performs initialization.

Each of the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 corresponds to theinitialization of seven elements of the diaphragm, the zoom lens, thefocus lens, the camera shake control, the liquid crystal ND, the camerashake lock, and the lens barrel display unit.

As illustrated in C of FIG. 20, the elements of which the initializationcompletion signal the interchangeable lens 10 can transmit becomes theelements corresponding to an operation result of the AND operationcommon to the body-side initialization execution element information andthe lens-side initialization execution element information. Therefore,the interchangeable lens 10 can transmit the initialization completionsignals of seven elements of the diaphragm, the zoom lens, the focuslens, the camera shake control, the liquid crystal ND, the camera shakelock, and the lens barrel display unit.

The body control unit 72 on the body 60 side performs an AND operationbetween the body-side initialization execution element information andthe lens-side initialization execution element information, so that itis possible to recognize that the initialization completion signal ofeach of the zoom lens, the camera shake control, the camera shake lock,the diaphragm, the focus lens, the liquid crystal ND, and the lensbarrel display unit is transmitted from the interchangeable lens 10.

The lens control unit 22 on the interchangeable lens 10 side transmitsthe initialization completion signal to the body control unit 72 at thetiming of the completion of initialization with respect to each of thezoom lens, the camera shake control, the camera shake lock, thediaphragm, the focus lens, the liquid crystal ND, and the lens barreldisplay unit.

FIG. 21 illustrates a process flow in a case where the elements to whichthe interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 can correspond arecoincident with each other.

First, in step S141, the body control unit 72 transmits the body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization together with aninitialization start command requesting the start of initialization tothe lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information, in step S150, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating elements on which the lens control unit itselfperforms initialization to the body control unit 72. Upon receiving thelens-side initialization execution element information transmitted fromthe lens control unit 22, in step S142, the body control unit 72performs an AND operation between the lens-side initialization executionelement information and the body-side initialization execution elementinformation and recognizes the initialization completion transmissionelement which is an element of which the initialization completionsignal is transmitted. The initialization completion transmissionelements are seven elements of the diaphragm, the zoom lens, the focuslens, the camera shake control, the liquid crystal ND, the camera shakelock, and the lens barrel display unit.

On the other hand, after the transmission of the lens-sideinitialization execution element information in step S150, in step S151,the lens control unit 22 performs an AND operation between the receivedbody-side initialization execution element information and the lens-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the lens control unit itself performs initialization. Therefore,the lens control unit 22 determines the elements of which theinitialization completion signals are to be transmitted. Subsequently,in step S152, the initialization process of each element is started.Herein, the lens-side initialization execution element information istransmitted before the start of the initialization process. However, thetransmission of the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation may be performed after the AND operation or after the startof the initialization process. In addition, the start of theinitialization process and the transmission of the lens-sideinitialization execution element information may be performedsimultaneously.

After that, at the timing when the initialization process of eachelement has been completed, as steps S153 to S159, the lens control unit22 transmits the initialization completion signals of the elements ofwhich the initialization process has been completed to the body controlunit 72.

In the example of FIG. 21, in steps S153 to S159, the initializationprocess has been completed in the order of the zoom lens, the focuslens, the camera shake control, the diaphragm, the liquid crystal ND,the camera shake lock, and the lens barrel display unit, and theinitialization completion signals are transmitted in this order. Theorder of completion of the initialization is an exemplary one. In a casewhere the interchangeable lens 10 and the compatible element of the body60 are coincident with each other, the body control unit 72 canrecognize which of the plurality of elements of which the initializationcompletion signal is transmitted from the lens control unit 22 is anelement associated with the exposure adjustment process (diaphragm).Accordingly, in a case where the initialization completion signals ofboth of the diaphragm and the liquid crystal ND are received, the bodycontrol unit 72 starts the diaphragm element correspondinginitialization process including the exposure adjustment process.

<Flowchart of First Initialization Process on Body Side>

The first initialization process executed on the body 60 side in a casewhere the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60can correspond are coincident with each other is similar to the firstinitialization process described with reference to FIG. 15 in a casewhere only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to a new element, andthus, the description thereof will be omitted.

<Flowchart of First Initialization Process on Lens Side>

Next, in a case where the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10and the body 60 can correspond are coincident with each other, a firstinitialization process executed on the interchangeable lens 10 side willbe described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 22. This process isstarted, for example, when the initialization start command and thebody-side initialization execution element information transmitted fromthe body control unit 72 are received. First, in step S171, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating elements on which the interchangeable lens 10performs initialization to the body control unit 72 on the basis of thereceived initialization start command and the received body-sideinitialization execution element information.

In step S172, the lens control unit 22 performs an AND operation betweenthe received body-side initialization execution element information andthe lens-side initialization execution element information. Therefore,the elements of which the initialization completion signals the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits are determined. In step S173, the lens controlunit 22 sets the number of elements of which initialization is to beperformed to a variable d_count indicating the elements scheduled to beimplemented. According to the example of FIG. 20, the variable d_countis set to 7, which is the same as the number of elements of “1” in theinitialization execution element information.

In step S174, the lens control unit 22 sets the conversion i_count forcounting the elements of which the initialization process has beencompleted to 0

In addition, the variables d_count and i_count are independent variablesfor the lens control unit 22 on the interchangeable lens 10 side and thebody control unit 72 on the body 60 side.

In step S175, the lens control unit 22 starts the initialization processfor each element with respect to all elements requiring initialization.The process of step S175 corresponds to the process of step S152 of FIG.21. In this embodiment, the initialization processes of all the elementsare started simultaneously, but the initialization process may beperformed in a predetermined order or with a priority.

In step S176, the lens control unit 22 determines whether there is anelement of which the initialization process has been completed among theelements which are in initialization execution.

In step S176, the process waits until it is determined that there is anelement of which the initialization process has been completed, and in acase where it is determined that there is an initialization-completedelement, the process proceeds to step S177. Then, in step S177, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal of theelement of which the initialization process has been completed to thebody control unit 72.

In step S178, the lens control unit 22 increments the conversion i_countfor counting the elements of which the initialization process has beencompleted by 1.

In step S179, the lens control unit 22 determines whether or not theconversion i_count for counting the elements of which the initializationprocess has been completed is equal to the variable d_count indicatingthe elements scheduled to be implemented.

In step S179, in a case where it is determined that the conversioni_count for counting the elements of which the initialization processhas been completed is not equal to the variable d_count indicating theelements scheduled to be implemented, the process returns to step S176.As a result, the lens control unit 22 waits again until the next elementafter the completion of the initialization process is generated.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S179 thatthe conversion i_count for counting the elements of which theinitialization process has been completed is equal to the variabled_count indicating the elements scheduled to be implemented, the firstinitialization process on the interchangeable lens 10 side has beencompleted.

According to the first initialization process of the camera system 1described above, even in a case where the elements to which theinterchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 can correspond are coincidentwith each other, the interchangeable lens 10 can perform initializationof all the elements which the interchangeable lens includes, and thebody 60 can appropriately start the element corresponding initializationprocess in the order in which the initialization of each of the elementson the interchangeable lens 10 side has been completed.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements whicheach of the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 includes and toappropriately execute the initialization processes.

<4.3 Case where Interchangeable Lens is Lower in Function than Body>

Next, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is lower in function thanthe body 60, in other words, a case where the interchangeable lens 10does not correspond to an element to which the body 60 can correspondwill be described.

Specifically, a case where the body 60 can correspond the diaphragm, thezoom lens, the focus lens, and the camera shake control and theinterchangeable lens 10 is a short focus lens, does not have a zoomingfunction and a camera shake correction function, can correspond to onlythe focus lens will be described.

A of FIG. 23 illustrates elements which are indicated by the body-sideinitialization execution element information and on which the body 60performs initialization.

B of FIG. 23 illustrates elements which are indicated by the lens-sideinitialization execution element information and on which theinterchangeable lens 10 performs initialization.

The body 60 corresponds to four elements of the diaphragm, the zoomlens, the focus lens, and the camera shake control.

The interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to two elements of the diaphragmand the focus lens.

As illustrated in C of FIG. 23, the elements of which the initializationcompletion signals the interchangeable lens 10 can transmit are elementscorresponding to a result of an AND operation common to the body-sideinitialization execution element information and the lens-sideinitialization execution element information. Therefore, theinterchangeable lens 10 can transmit the initialization completionsignals of only the diaphragm and the focus lens.

The body control unit 72 of the body 60 performs an AND operationbetween the body-side initialization execution element information andthe lens-side initialization execution element information, so that itis possible to recognize that the initialization completion signal ofeach of the diaphragm and the focus lens is transmitted from theinterchangeable lens 10.

The lens control unit 22 of the interchangeable lens 10 transmits theinitialization completion signal to the body control unit 72 at thetiming of completion of initialization with respect to each of thediaphragm and the focus lens.

FIG. 24 illustrates a process flow in a case where the interchangeablelens 10 does not correspond to the elements to which the body 60 cancorrespond.

First, in step S201, the body control unit 72 transmits body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization together with aninitialization start command requesting the start of initialization tothe lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information, in step S210, the lenscontrol unit 22 transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating elements on which the lens control unit itselfperforms initialization to the body control unit 72.

Upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation transmitted from the lens control unit 22, in step S202, thebody control unit 72 performs an AND operation between the lens-sideinitialization execution element information and the body-sideinitialization execution element information and recognizes theinitialization completion transmission element which is an element ofwhich the initialization completion signal is transmitted. Theinitialization completion transmission elements are two elements of thediaphragm and the focus lens.

On the other hand, after the transmission of the lens-sideinitialization execution element information in step S210, in step S211,the lens control unit 22 performs an AND operation between the receivedbody-side initialization execution element information and the lens-sideinitialization execution element information on which the lens controlunit itself performs initialization. Therefore, the lens control unit 22determines the elements of which initialization completion signals areto be transmitted.

Subsequently, in step S212, the initialization process of each elementis started. In addition, the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation may be transmitted after the start of the initializationprocess, or the information may be transmitted at the same time as thestart of the initialization process.

After that, at the timing when the initialization process of eachelement has been completed, as steps S213 and S214, the lens controlunit 22 sequentially transmits the initialization completion signals ofthe elements of which the initialization process has been completed tothe body control unit 72

In the example of FIG. 24, in steps S213 and S214, the initializationprocess has been completed in the order of the focus lens and thediaphragm, and the initialization completion signals are transmitted inthis order. The order of completion of the initialization is anexemplary one.

In a case where the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspond to theelements to which the body 60 can correspond, the body control unit 72determines which element among the plurality of elements of which thecompletion of initialization is transmitted from the lens control unit22 is associated with the exposure adjustment process (diaphragm).Therefore, the body control unit 72 starts the element correspondinginitialization processes in the order of the elements of which thecompletion of initialization has been received.

<Flowchart of First Body-Initialization Process on Body Side>

The first initialization process executed on the body 60 side in a casewhere the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspond to the elements towhich the body 60 can correspond is similar to the first initializationprocess described with reference to FIG. 15 in a case where only theinterchangeable lens 10 corresponds to a new element, and thus, thedescription thereof will be omitted.

<Flowchart of First Initialization Process on Lens Side>

The first initialization process executed on the interchangeable lens 10side in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspond tothe elements to which the body 60 can correspond is similar to the firstinitialization process described with reference to FIG. 22 in a casewhere the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60can correspond are coincident with each other, and thus, the descriptionthereof will be omitted.

According to the first initialization process of the camera system 1described above, even in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 doesnot correspond to the elements to which the body 60 can correspond, theinterchangeable lens 10 can perform initialization of all the elementsthe interchangeable lens includes, and the body 60 can appropriatelystart the element corresponding initialization process in the order inwhich the initialization of each element on the interchangeable lens 10side has been completed.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements includedin each of the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and toappropriately execute the initialization process.

<5. Second Initialization Process>

Next, a second initialization process which is a second example of theinitialization process according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described.

In the first initialization process described above, the body 60transmits the element information indicating an element to which thebody itself corresponds as body-side initialization execution elementinformation to the interchangeable lens 10, and the interchangeable lens10 transmits the element information indicating elements which theinterchangeable lens itself includes as lens-side initializationexecution element information to the body 60.

Then, upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation, the body control unit 72 performs an AND operation betweenthe lens-side initialization execution element information and thebody-side initialization execution element information, and the bodycontrol unit recognizes the element of which the initializationcompletion signal is transmitted on the basis of a result of theoperation.

On the other hand, in the second initialization process, theinterchangeable lens 10 side performs the AND operation between thebody-side initialization execution element information transmitted fromthe body 60 and the element information indicating elements which theinterchangeable lens side itself includes, and the interchangeable lensside transmits a result of the operation as lens-side initializationexecution element information to the body 60. The body control unit 72on the body 60 side recognizes the element of which the initializationcompletion signal is transmitted on the basis of the lens-sideinitialization execution element information that is a result of the ANDoperation between the body-side initialization execution elementinformation and the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation.

Hereinafter, with respect to the second initialization process,similarly to the first initialization process, a case where theinterchangeable lens 10 is higher in function than the body 60, a casewhere the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 are equivalent infunction, and a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is lower infunction than the body 60 will be described.

<5.1 Case where Interchangeable Lens is Higher in Function than Body>

First, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is higher in functionthan the body 60 will be described.

FIG. 25 illustrates a process flow in a case where the initialization ofthe exposure non-influencing element to which the body 60 can correspondamong the plurality of exposure non-influencing elements correspondingto the case illustrated in FIG. 10 in the first initialization processhas been completed, and after that, the initialization of the lensbarrel display unit to which the body 60 does not correspond has beencompleted.

First, in step S241, the body control unit 72 transmits body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating aninitialization element on which the body 60 performs initialization,together with an initialization start command requesting the start ofinitialization, to the lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information transmitted from the body60, in step S261, the lens control unit 22 performs an AND operationbetween the received body-side initialization execution elementinformation and the element information indicating the elements to whichthe lens control unit itself corresponds.

Then, in step S262, the lens control unit 22 transmits a result of theAND operation as lens-side initialization execution element informationto the body control unit 72.

The body-side initialization execution element information transmittedby the body control unit 72 in step S241 of FIG. 25 is the same as thebody-side initialization execution element information indicated by A ofFIG. 6. On the other hand, the lens-side initialization executionelement information transmitted by the lens control unit 22 in step S262is element information corresponding to a result of the AND operationillustrated by C of FIG. 6.

Accordingly, upon receiving the lens-side initialization executionelement information transmitted from the lens control unit 22, the bodycontrol unit 72 can recognize the initialization completion transmissionelement which is an element of which the initialization completionsignal is transmitted without the body control unit itself performing anAND operation. In case of the example, the initialization completiontransmission elements are four elements, namely, the diaphragm, the zoomlens, the focus lens, and the camera shake control.

After transmitting the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation in step S262, the lens control unit 22 starts theinitialization process of each element in step S263. Any one of theprocesses of step S262 and step S263 may be performed earlier, or theprocesses may be performed simultaneously.

In step S264, the lens control unit 22 transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the zoom lens to the body control unit 72 at thetiming when the initialization process of the zoom lens has beencompleted.

In step S265, the lens control unit 22 transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the focus lens to the body control unit 72 at thetiming when the initialization process of the focus lens has beencompleted.

After step S265, the initialization process of the camera shake controlhas been completed. However, since the camera shake control is the lastexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization completionsignal can be transmitted, the lens control unit 22, does not transmitthe initialization completion signal of the camera shake control at thistiming, and the lens control unit transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the camera shake control to the body control unit72 in step S267 which is the timing when the initialization of both ofthe camera shake lock and the lens barrel display unit has beencompleted. Namely, the initialization completion of both of the camerashake lock and the lens barrel display unit is included in theinitialization completion signal of the camera shake control. However,this does not denote that the signals corresponding to theinitialization completion signals of the camera shake lock and the lensbarrel display unit are included in the initialization completion signalof the camera shake control.

With respect to the exposure influencing element, the lens control unit22 does not transmit the initialization completion signal of thediaphragm at the timing when the initialization of the diaphragm hasbeen completed, and the lens control unit transmits the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm to the body control unit 72 in stepS266 which is the timing when the initialization of the liquid crystalND has been completed. Namely, the initialization completion of theliquid crystal ND is included in the initialization completion signal ofthe diaphragm. However, this does not denote that a signal correspondingto the initialization completion signal of the liquid crystal ND isincluded in the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm. Atthe time when the body control unit 72 receives the initializationcompletion signal of the diaphragm in step S266, the body control unit72 starts the diaphragm element corresponding initialization processincluding the exposure adjustment process. Next, FIG. 26 illustrates aprocess flow in a case where the initialization of the element to whichthe body 60 does not correspond among the plurality of exposurenon-influencing elements corresponding to the case illustrated in FIG.11 in the first initialization process has been completed earlier, andafter that, the initialization of the element to which the body 60corresponds has been completed.

In FIG. 25, in the interchangeable lens 10, the initialization of thecamera shake control has been completed earlier, and after that, theinitialization of the camera shake lock and the initialization of thelens barrel display unit have been completed in order. However, in FIG.26, the initialization of the camera shake lock and the initializationof the lens barrel display unit have been completed earlier, and afterthat, the initialization of the camera shake control has been completed.Others are similar to in FIG. 25. Even In this case, the initializationprocess is similar to the flow illustrated in FIG. 25, and in step S267,the initialization completion signal of the camera shake controlincluding the initialization completion of both of the camera shake lockand the lens barrel display unit is transmitted to the body control unit72. Next, FIG. 27 illustrates a process flow in a case where theinitialization of the elements to which the body 60 can correspond amongthe plurality of exposure non-influencing elements corresponding to thecase illustrated in FIG. 12 in the first initialization process has beencompleted earlier, after that, the initialization of the elements towhich the body 60 does not correspond has been completed, and finally,the initialization of the exposure influencing elements has beencompleted.

FIG. 27 is different from FIG. 25 in that the initialization completiontiming of the liquid crystal ND which is an exposure influencing elementis later than the timing of the initialization completion of the camerashake lock and the barrel display unit which are exposurenon-influencing elements. Therefore, in FIG. 27, the order of step S266of transmitting the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm tothe body control unit 72 and step S267 of transmitting theinitialization completion signal of the camera shake control to the bodycontrol unit 72 is opposite to that in the case of FIG. 25. With respectto the others, FIG. 27 is similar to FIG. 25.

The lens control unit 22 does not transmit the initialization completionsignal of the camera shake control at the timing when the initializationof the camera shake control has been completed, and the lens controlunit 22 transmits the initialization completion signal of the camerashake control to the body control unit 72 at the timing when theinitialization of both of the camera shake lock and the lens barreldisplay unit has been completed.

Next, FIG. 28 illustrates a process flow in a case where theinitialization of the element to which the body 60 does not correspondamong the plurality of exposure non-influencing elements correspondingto the case illustrated in FIG. 13 in the first initialization processhas been completed earlier, after that, the initialization of theelements to which the body 60 does correspond has been completed, andfinally, the initialization of the exposure influencing element has beencompleted.

FIG. 28 is different from FIG. 26 in that the initialization completiontiming of the liquid crystal ND which is an exposure influencing elementis later than the initialization completion timing of the camera shakelock and the lens barrel display unit which are exposure non-influencingelements. Therefore, in FIG. 28, the order of step S266 of transmittingthe initialization completion signal of the diaphragm to the bodycontrol unit 72 and step S267 of transmitting the initializationcompletion signal of the camera shake control to the body control unit72 is opposite to that in the case of FIG. 26. With respect to theothers, FIG. 28 is similar to FIG. 26.

The lens control unit 22 transmits the initialization completion signalof the camera shake control to the body control unit 72 at the timingwhen the initialization of both of the camera shake lock and the lensbarrel display unit has been completed, and after that, theinitialization of the camera shake control has been completed.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Body Side>

Next, in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to anew element, a second initialization process executed on the body 60side will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 29. Thisprocess is started, for example, when the interchangeable lens 10 isattached to the body 60 and the power is turned on.

First, in step S301, the body control unit 72 transmits aninitialization start command for starting initialization, together withthe body-side initialization execution element information indicatingelements on which the body 60 performs initialization, to the lenscontrol unit 22.

In step S302, the body control unit 72 determines whether or not thelens-side initialization execution element information indicatingelements on which the interchangeable lens 10 performs initializationhas been received from the lens control unit 22, and the process of stepS302 is repeated until it is determined that the lens-sideinitialization execution element information has been received. Unlikethe first initialization process, the received lens-side initializationexecution element information is a result of the AND operation betweenthe body-side initialization execution element information and theelement information indicating the element to which the interchangeablelens 10 corresponds and denotes an initialization completiontransmission element of which the initialization completion signal istransmitted. Therefore, the lens control unit 22 can recognize theelement of which the initialization completion signal is transmitted onthe basis of the initialization execution element information.

Then, in a case where it is determined in step S302 that the lens-sideinitialization execution element information has been received, theprocess proceeds to step S303, and the body control unit 72 sets thenumber of elements corresponding to the received lens-sideinitialization execution element information to a variable d_countindicating the elements scheduled to be received. According to theexample of FIG. 6, the variable d_count is set to 4.

The subsequent processes of steps S304 to S312 are similar to theprocesses of steps S55 to S63 of FIG. 15, respectively, and thus, thedescription thereof will be omitted.

The second initialization process on the body 60 side is executed insuch a manner as described heretofore.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Lens Side>

Next, in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to anew element, a second initialization process executed on theinterchangeable lens 10 side will be described with reference to theflowchart of FIG. 30. This process is started, for example, when theinitialization start command and the body-side initialization executionelement information transmitted from the body control unit 72 arereceived.

First, in step S331, the lens control unit 22 performs an AND operationbetween the received body-side initialization execution elementinformation and the element information indicating an element to whichthe lens control unit itself corresponds.

In step S332, the lens control unit 22 transmits a result of the ANDoperation to the body control unit 72 as lens-side initializationexecution element information indicating elements on which the lenscontrol unit itself performs initialization.

The subsequent processes of steps S333 to S341 are similar to theprocesses of steps S73 to S81 of FIG. 16, respectively, and thus, thedescription thereof will be omitted.

The second initialization process on the interchangeable lens 10 side isexecuted in such a manner as described heretofore. According to thesecond initialization process of the camera system 1 described above,even in a case where only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to anew element, the interchangeable lens 10 can perform initialization ofall the elements which the interchangeable lens includes, and the body60 can appropriately start the initialization of the body 60 side in theorder in which necessary initialization has been completed in units ofan element on the interchangeable lens 10 side including elements towhich the body does not correspond. In addition, the initializationcompletion signal of the element to which the body 60 does notcorrespond is not received.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements of eachof the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and to appropriatelyexecute the initialization process.

Upon receiving the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation, the body control unit 72 can recognize that theinitialization start command is normally received by the interchangeablelens 10 side and the initialization process is performed on theinterchangeable lens 10 side, in other words, that it is possible toexpect initialization completion signal of each element to be received.

In addition, according to the second initialization process, thelens-side initialization execution element information of the elementscommon to the elements to which the body 60 side corresponds and theelements which the interchangeable lens 10 includes is transmitted fromthe interchangeable lens 10 side to the body 60 side. Therefore, sincethe lens-side initialization execution element information indicates theinitialization completion transmission element of which theinitialization completion signal is transmitted, the body control unit72 can wait for the initialization completion signal of the elementsscheduled to be received without concerning a difference in functionbetween the interchangeable lens 10 side and the body 60 side. In otherwords, the difference between the elements (functions) of theinterchangeable lens 10 side and the body 60 side can be absorbed by theinterchangeable lens 10 side.

<5.2 Case where Interchangeable Lens and Body are Equivalent inFunction>

Next, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 areequivalent in function will be described.

FIG. 31 illustrates a process flow in a case where the elements to whichthe interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 correspond are coincidentwith each other, corresponding to the case illustrated in FIG. 21 in thefirst initialization process.

First, in step S361, the body control unit 72 transmits the body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization, together with theinitialization start command requesting the start of initialization, tothe lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information, in step S371, the lenscontrol unit 22 performs an AND operation between the received body-sideinitialization execution element information and the element informationindicating an element to which the lens control unit itself corresponds.

Then, in step S372, the lens control unit 22 transmits a result of theAND operation as lens-side initialization execution element informationindicating initialization elements on which the lens control unit 22itself performs initialization to the body control unit 72.

The body-side initialization execution element information transmittedby the body control unit 72 in step S361 is the same as the body-sideinitialization execution element information indicated by A of FIG. 20.On the other hand, the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation transmitted by the lens control unit 22 in step S372 iselement information corresponding to a result of the AND operationillustrated by C of FIG. 20.

After transmitting the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation in step S372, the lens control unit 22 starts theinitialization process of each element in step S373. Any one of theprocesses of step S372 and step S373 may be performed earlier, or theprocesses may be performed simultaneously.

After that, in steps S374 to S380, the lens control unit 22 transmitsthe initialization completion signal of the element of which theinitialization process has been completed to the body control unit 72 atthe timing when the initialization process of each element has beencompleted.

In the example of FIG. 31, in steps S374 to S380, the initializationprocesses have been completed in the order of the zoom lens, the focuslens, the camera shake control, the diaphragm, the liquid crystal ND,the camera shake lock, and the lens barrel display unit, and theinitialization completion signals are transmitted in this order. Theorder of completion of the initialization is an exemplary one.

In a case where the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10 andthe body 60 can correspond are coincident with each other, the bodycontrol unit 72 determines which element among the plurality of elementsof which the completion of initialization is transmitted from the lenscontrol unit 22 is associated with the exposure adjustment process(diaphragm). Accordingly, in a case where the initialization completionof both of the diaphragm and the liquid crystal ND is received, the bodycontrol unit 72 starts the diaphragm element correspondinginitialization process including the exposure adjustment process.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Body Side>

The second initialization process executed on the body 60 side in a casewhere the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10 and the body 60can correspond are coincident with each other is similar to the secondinitialization process described with reference to FIG. 29 in a casewhere only the interchangeable lens 10 corresponds to a new element, andthus, the description thereof will be omitted.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Lens Side>

Next, in a case where the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10and the body 60 correspond are coincident with each other, a secondinitialization process executed on the interchangeable lens 10 side willbe described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 32. This process isstarted, for example, when the initialization start command and thebody-side initialization execution element information transmitted fromthe body control unit 72 are received. First, in step S401, the lenscontrol unit 22 performs an AND operation between the received body-sideinitialization execution element information and the element informationindicating an element to which the lens control unit itself corresponds.

In step S402, the lens control unit 22 transmits a result of the ANDoperation to the body control unit 72 as lens-side initializationexecution element information indicating elements on which the lenscontrol unit itself performs initialization.

The subsequent processes of steps S403 to S409 are similar to theprocesses of steps S173 to S179 of FIG. 22, respectively, and thus, thedescription thereof is omitted.

According to the second initialization process of the camera system 1described above, even in a case where the elements to which theinterchangeable lens 10 and the body 60 correspond are coincident witheach other, the interchangeable lens 10 can perform initialization ofall the elements which the interchangeable lens includes, and the body60 can appropriately start the element corresponding initializationprocess in the order in which the initialization of each element on theinterchangeable lens 10 side has been completed.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements of eachof the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and to appropriatelyexecute the initialization process.

<5.3 Case where Interchangeable Lens is Lower in Function than Body>

Next, a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is lower in function thanthe body 60 will be described.

Specifically, similarly to the case of the first initialization process,the body 60 corresponds to the diaphragm, the zoom lens, the focus lens,and the camera shake control, and the interchangeable lens 10 is a shortfocus lens and does not have a zoom function and a camera shakecorrection function but corresponds to only the diaphragm and the focuslens.

FIG. 33 illustrates a process flow in a case where the interchangeablelens 10 does not correspond to the elements to which the body 60 cancorrespond, corresponding to the case illustrated in FIG. 24 in thefirst initialization process.

First, in step S421, the body control unit 72 transmits the body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating elements onwhich the body 60 performs initialization, together with aninitialization start command requesting the start of initialization, tothe lens control unit 22.

Upon receiving the initialization start command and the body-sideinitialization execution element information, in step S431, the lenscontrol unit 22 performs an AND operation between the received body-sideinitialization execution element information and the element informationindicating an element to which the lens control unit itself corresponds.

Then, in step S432, the lens control unit 22 transmits a result of theAND operation as lens-side initialization execution element informationindicating initialization elements on which the lens control unit 22itself performs initialization to the body control unit 72.

The body-side initialization execution element information transmittedby the body control unit 72 in step S421 is the same as the body-sideinitialization execution element information illustrated by A of FIG.23. The lens-side initialization execution element informationtransmitted by the lens control unit 22 in step S432 is elementinformation corresponding to a result of the AND operation illustratedby C of FIG. 23. The initialization completion transmission elements aretwo elements of the diaphragm and the focus lens.

After transmitting the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation in step S432, the lens control unit 22 starts theinitialization process of each element in step S433. Any one of stepS432 and step S433 may be performed earlier, or the processes may beperformed simultaneously.

After that, in steps S434 and S435, the lens control unit 22sequentially transmits the initialization completion signals of theelements of which the initialization processes have been completed tothe body control unit 72 at the timing when the initialization processof each element has been completed.

In the example of FIG. 33, in steps S434 and S435, the initializationprocess has been completed in the order of the focus lens and thediaphragm, and the initialization completion signals are transmitted inthis order. The order of completion of the initialization is anexemplary one.

In a case where the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspond to theelements to which the body 60 can correspond, the body control unit 72determines which element among the plurality of elements of which thecompletion of initialization is transmitted from the lens control unit22 is associated with the exposure adjustment process (diaphragm).Therefore, the body control unit 72 starts the element correspondinginitialization process in the order of the elements of which thecompletion of initialization has been received.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Body Side>

The second initialization process executed on the body 60 side in a casewhere the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspond to the elements towhich the body 60 can correspond is similar to the second initializationprocess described with reference to FIG. 29 in a case where only theinterchangeable lens 10 corresponds to a new element, and thus, thedescription thereof will be omitted.

<Flowchart of Second Initialization Process on Lens Side>

The second initialization process executed on the interchangeable lens10 side in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 does not correspondto the elements to which the body 60 can correspond is similar to thesecond initialization process described with reference to FIG. 32 in acase where the elements to which the interchangeable lens 10 and thebody 60 can correspond are coincident with each other, and thus, thedescription thereof will be omitted.

According to the second initialization process of the camera system 1described above, even in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 doesnot correspond to the elements to which the body 60 can correspond, theinterchangeable lens 10 can perform initialization of all the elementswhich the interchangeable lens includes, and the body 60 canappropriately start the element corresponding initialization process inthe order in which the initialization of each of the elements on theinterchangeable lens 10 side has been completed.

Accordingly, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements of eachof the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and to appropriatelyexecute the initialization process.

<6. Selection of Initialization Process>

As described above, in the interchangeable lens 10, in a case where theelements which the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 include areequal to each other or in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 doesnot correspond to the elements to which the body 60 can correspond, thebody 60 can correspond all the elements which the interchangeable lens10 includes, each element in the interchangeable lens 10 may transmitthe initialization completion signal to the body 60 at the timing whenthe initialization has been completed.

On the other hand, in a case where the interchangeable lens 10 is higherin function than the body 60 and the body 60 does not correspond to someelements (new elements) which the interchangeable lens 10 includes, theinterchangeable lens 10 side determines whether or not the new elementsare associated with the exposure adjustment process (whether or not thenew elements influences the exposure adjustment process). In a casewhere it is determined that the new elements are associated with theexposure adjustment process, the initialization completion signal of thediaphragm is allowed to wait as necessary, and it is necessary totransmit the initialization completion signal as included in theinitialization completion signal of the diaphragm to the body 60.

Therefore, it may be necessary for the interchangeable lens 10 to switchthe initialization process depending on whether or not theinterchangeable lens 10 is higher in function than the body 60.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart of the initialization process switching processexecuted by the interchangeable lens 10.

First, in step S451, the lens control unit 22 receives theinitialization start command and the body-side initialization executionelement information transmitted from the body control unit 72.

In step S452, the lens control unit 22 compares the received body-sideinitialization execution element information with the elementinformation indicating an element to which the lens control unit itselfcorresponds and determines whether or not the interchangeable lens 10has an element to which the body 60 does not correspond.

In step S452, in a case where it is determined that the interchangeablelens 10 has the element to which the body 60 does not correspond, theprocess proceeds to step S453, and the lens control unit 22 selects ahigh-function initialization process. With respect to the firstinitialization process, the high-function initialization processcorresponds to the first initialization process illustrated in FIG. 16,and with respect to the second initialization process, the high-functioninitialization process corresponds to the second initialization processillustrated in FIG. 30.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S452 thatthe interchangeable lens 10 does not have the element to which the body60 does not correspond, the process proceeds to step S454, and the lenscontrol unit 22 selects an equivalent-function initialization process.

With respect to the first initialization process, the equivalentfunction initialization process corresponds to the first initializationprocess illustrated in FIG. 22, and with respect to the secondinitialization process, the equivalent function initialization processcorresponds to the second initialization process illustrated in FIG. 32.

In addition, a process of determining whether or not the interchangeablelens 10 includes an element to which the body 60 does not correspond instep S452 is configured to be inserted after step S76 of FIG. 16. In acase where it is determined that the interchangeable lens 10 includes anelement to which the body 60 does not correspond, the processes of stepsS77 to S79 of FIG. 16 are configured to be executed. In a case where itis determined that the interchangeable lens 10 does not include anelement to which the body 60 does not correspond, the process of stepS177 of FIG. 22 is configured to be executed. As a result, theflowcharts of FIGS. 16 and 22 are combined into one flowchart.

As described above, the interchangeable lens 10 switches theinitialization process depending on whether or not the interchangeablelens itself is higher in function than the body 60.

<7. Summary>

In the camera system 1 including the interchangeable lens 10 and thebody 60, the body control unit 72 transmits the body-side initializationexecution element information indicating the elements (body-sideelements) on which the body 60 performs initialization to the lenscontrol unit 22 and receives the lens-side initialization executionelement information which is transmitted from the lens control unit 22according to the body-side initialization execution element informationand indicates the elements (lens-side elements) on which theinterchangeable lens 10 performs initialization.

In response to reception of the body-side initialization executionelement information indicating the elements (body-side elements) onwhich the body 60 performs initialization from the body control unit 72,the lens control unit 22 transmits the lens-side initializationexecution element information indicating the elements (lens-sideelement) which the interchangeable lens 10 performs initialization tothe body control unit 72.

The lens-side initialization execution element information in the firstinitialization process is information which can identify all of theplurality of lens-side elements on which the interchangeable lens 10performs initialization, and the lens-side initialization executionelement information in the second initialization process is informationcapable of identifying at least one common element common to theplurality of lens-side elements on which the interchangeable lens 10performs initialization and the plurality of lens-side elements whichare indicated by the body-side initialization execution elementinformation. In the first initialization process, if all the commonelements common to the plurality of body-side elements indicated by thebody-side initialization execution element information and the pluralityof lens-side elements indicated by the lens-side initializationexecution element information are received, the body control unit 72determines that the initialization on the interchangeable lens 10 sidehas been completed. In the second initialization process, if theinitialization completion signals of all of the plurality of lens-sideelements indicated by the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation are received, the body control unit 72 determines that theinitialization on the interchangeable lens 10 side has been completed.

As described with reference to FIG. 17, in a case where the plurality ofelements which the interchangeable lens 10 includes include thediaphragm and the non-corresponding exposure influencing elements towhich the body 60 does not correspond and which influence the exposureadjustment process of the body 60, the lens control unit 22 stores theinitialization completion signal of the diaphragm in the queue bufferfor command transmission at the timing according to the initializationcompletion of all the non-corresponding exposure influencing elementsand the diaphragm. In a case where the plurality of elements which theinterchangeable lens 10 includes include the corresponding elements towhich the body 60 corresponds and the non-corresponding elements towhich the body 60 does not correspond, if there are two or morecorresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted, irrespective of the presence or absence of non-correspondingelements of which the initialization has not been completed, the lenscontrol unit 22 stores the initialization completion signals of onecorresponding element of which the initialization has been completed inthe queue buffer for command transmission at the timing according to theinitialization completion of the one corresponding element among the twoor more corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted.

As described with reference to FIG. 18, in a case where the plurality ofelements which the interchangeable lens 10 includes include thenon-corresponding exposure influencing elements to which the body 60does not correspond and which influence the exposure adjustment processof the body 60 and the corresponding exposure influencing elements towhich the body 60 correspond and which influences the exposureadjustment process of the body 60, if the corresponding exposureinfluencing element of which the initialization completion signal hasnot been transmitted is the last one, the lens control unit 22 storesthe initialization completion signal of the last corresponding exposureinfluencing element to which the body 60 corresponds in the queue bufferat the time when the initialization of all the non-correspondingexposure influencing elements has been completed.

As described with reference to FIG. 19, in a case where the plurality ofelements which the interchangeable lens 10 includes include at least onecorresponding exposure non-influencing element which does not influencethe exposure adjustment process of the body 60 and to which the body 60corresponds and at least one non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelement which does not influence the exposure adjustment process of thebody 60 and to which the body 60 does not correspond, if thenon-corresponding exposure non-influencing elements of which theinitialization has not been completed remain at the timing when theentire initialization of the corresponding exposure non-influencingelements has been completed, the lens control unit 22 waits for theinitialization completion of all the non-corresponding exposurenon-influencing elements and stores the initialization completion signalof the corresponding exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization has been finally completed in the queue buffer forcommand transmission.

The lens control unit 22 performs the initialization process on theexposure influencing elements which influence the exposure adjustmentprocess of the body 60 and the exposure non-influencing elements whichdo not influence the exposure adjustment process of the body 60 indifferent schemes. Alternatively, the lens control unit 22 performs theinitialization process on the corresponding elements to which the body60 corresponds and the non-corresponding elements to which the body 60does not correspond in different schemes. Herein, the different schemesdenote that the timing of storage in the queue buffer for commandtransmission is different. In response to reception of theinitialization completion signal of all elements influencing theexposure adjustment process, the body control unit 72 starts theinitialization including the exposure adjustment process.

By transmitting and receiving the body-side initialization executionelement information and the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation, it is possible to correctly recognize the elements of eachof the body 60 and the interchangeable lens 10 and to appropriatelyexecute the initialization process.

In the initialization process described above, the body-sideinitialization execution element information is configured to betransmitted from the body 60 to the interchangeable lens 10 togetherwith the initialization start command. However, the body-sideinitialization execution element information may be configured to betransmitted from the body 60 to the interchangeable lens 10 at a timingdifferent from that of the initialization start command. For example,the body-side initialization execution element information may beconfigured to be transmitted from the body 60 to the interchangeablelens 10 at a timing after or before the initialization start command,differently from the initialization start command.

<8. Synchronization Command and Asynchronization Commands>

In the camera system 1 of FIG. 1, one or more commands are packetizedinto one packet and transmitted through packet communication. One packetis configured to include a header, a command, and a footer. The headeris added before the command, and the footer is added after the command.The footer includes a checksum for confirming the presence or absence ofa communication error of the command on the reception side.

As commands exchanged between the lens control unit 22 and the bodycontrol unit 72, there are two kinds of commands, that is, asynchronization command for performing communication in synchronizationwith a synchronization signal and a synchronization command forperforming communication at an arbitrary timing independently of thetiming of the synchronization signal. Herein, the synchronization signalused for the synchronization command includes not only a synchronizationsignal itself transmitted through a synchronization signal terminal butalso a signal obtained by frequency-dividing or multiplying thesynchronization signal. Namely, the lens control unit 22 performscommunication by using a synchronization command with the body controlunit 72 on the basis of a synchronization signal or a signal obtained byfrequency-dividing or multiplying the synchronization signal. In case ofperforming communication based on a signal obtained byfrequency-dividing or multiplying a synchronization signal, the lenscontrol unit 22 also performs a process of generating a signal obtainedby frequency-dividing or multiplying a synchronization signaltransmitted through the synchronization signal terminal.

Since a synchronization command is communicated in synchronization witha synchronization signal, the timing of transmitting a next secondsynchronization command after transmitting a first synchronizationcommand becomes the timing of a synchronization signal after thesynchronization signal that has transmitted the first synchronizationcommand.

A synchronization command is used, for example, as a command for thelens control unit 22 to notify the body control unit 72 of a lens stateof the interchangeable lens 10. More specifically, a synchronizationcommand is used for the lens control unit 22 to transmit positioninformation of the zoom lens 23, the diaphragm 25, and the focus lens26. In addition, a synchronization command is also used for instructinga predetermined operation from the body control unit 72 to the lenscontrol unit 22.

On the other hand, for example, in a case where communication error of acommand occurs in the interchangeable lens 10, an asynchronizationcommand is used for immediately notifying the body control unit 72 of amessage indicating that the communication error has occurred. Namely,the lens control unit 22 detects the presence or absence ofcommunication error of the command transmitted from the body controlunit 72 by determining the checksum, and in a case where thecommunication error is detected, the lens control unit transmits amessage indicating that the communication error has occurred to the bodycontrol unit 72 by using an asynchronization command. Therefore, thebody control unit 72 that has received the asynchronization commandindicating that the communication error has occurred can immediatelyperform a recovery process for recovering the communication error.

In addition, an asynchronization command is also used as a command(including data) such as the initialization start command, theinitialization execution element information, and the initializationcompletion signal transmitted between the lens control unit 22 and thebody control unit 72 in the above-described first and secondinitialization processes.

In addition, in a case where the control unit (the lens control unit 22or the body control unit 72) on the reception side normally receives acommand through the communication terminal, the control unit on thereception side may return a response indicating that the command hasbeen received or may not return a response depending on the type of thereceived command.

A command transmission control process which is a control process wherethe lens control unit 22 transmits a command to the body control unit 72will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 35. Thecommand transmission control process of FIG. 35 is repeatedly executed,for example, at a cycle obtained by multiplying the synchronizationsignal, or at a cycle shorter than the multiplied cycle thereof.

First, in step S501, the lens control unit 22 determines whether or notit is the transmission timing of the synchronization command.

In a case where it is determined in step S501 that it is thetransmission timing of the synchronization command, in step S502, thelens control unit 22 determines whether or not a synchronization commandto be transmitted to the body control unit 72 exists.

In a case where the synchronization command to be transmitted to thebody control unit 72 in response to the control of the interchangeablelens 10 such as the position information of the focus lens 26 isgenerated, the lens control unit 22 stores the synchronization commandin the queue buffer for the synchronization command inside the lenscontrol unit 22. In step S502, the lens control unit 22 determineswhether or not a synchronization command to be transmitted to the bodycontrol unit 72 exists in the queue buffer for the synchronizationcommand.

In step S502, in a case where it is determined that there is asynchronization command to be transmitted to the body control unit 72,the process proceeds to step S503, and the lens control unit 22determines whether or not an asynchronization command to be transmittedto the body control unit 72 exists.

In a case where an asynchronization command to be transmitted to thebody control unit 72 is generated in response to the control of theinterchangeable lens 10 such as driving amount information of the focuslens 26, the lens control unit 22 stores the asynchronization command ina queue buffer for an asynchronization command inside the lens controlunit 22. In step S503, the lens control unit 22 determines whether ornot the asynchronization command to be transmitted to the body controlunit 72 exists in the queue buffer for the asynchronization command.

In a case where it is determined in step S503 that the asynchronizationcommand exists, the process proceeds to step S504, the lens control unit22 transmits the synchronization command and the asynchronizationcommand existing in the queue buffer to the body control unit 72 byusing the same packet, and the process is ended.

FIG. 36 is a time chart illustrating an example of the packetcommunication executed in step S504.

In FIG. 36, a cycle of the synchronization signal is 1/60 sec, and aminimum transmission interval of the synchronization command is 1/60sec.

In a case where the asynchronization command exists at the transmissiontiming of the synchronization command, as illustrated in FIG. 36, thesynchronization command and the asynchronization command are multiplexedand transmitted by using one packet. In FIG. 36, the state where thesynchronization command and the asynchronization command are in contactwith each other indicates that the synchronization command and theasynchronization command are transmitted in one packet.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S503 that noasynchronization command exists, the process proceeds to step S505, thelens control unit 22 transmits only the synchronization command to thebody control unit 72 by using a packet, and the process is ended.

FIG. 37 is a time chart illustrating an example of packet communicationexecuted in step S505.

In a case where no asynchronization command exists at the transmissiontiming of the synchronization command, as illustrated in FIG. 37, onlythe synchronization command is transmitted by using one packet.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S501 that itis not the timing of transmitting the synchronization command, or in acase where it is determined in step S502 that no synchronization commandto be transmitted to the body control unit 72 exists, the processproceeds to step S506, and the lens control unit 22 determines whetheror not an asynchronization command to be transmitted to the body controlunit 72 exists in the queue buffer for the asynchronization command.

In a case where it is determined in step S506 that an asynchronizationcommand exists, the process proceeds to step S507, the lens control unit22 transmits only the asynchronization command to the body control unit72 by using a packet, and the process is ended.

FIG. 38 is a time chart illustrating an example of packet communicationexecuted in step S507.

In a case where an asynchronization command exists except for thetransmission timing of the synchronization command, as illustrated inFIG. 38, a packet with only the asynchronization command is transmitted.In a case where a plurality of asynchronization commands exist, theplurality of asynchronization commands are multiplexed and transmittedby using one packet. In FIG. 38, the state where two asynchronizationcommands are in contact with each other indicates that the twoasynchronization commands are transmitted by using one packet. Theasynchronization command can be transmitted at the time corresponding toa cycle of the synchronization signal or a cycle obtained by multiplyingthe synchronization signal.

On the other hand, in a case where it is determined in step S506 that noasynchronization command exists, the lens control unit 22 ends theprocess as it is. Namely, in a case where it is determined in step S506that no asynchronization command exists, neither the synchronizationcommand nor the asynchronization command is transmitted, and the processis ended.

The above-described command transmission control process is a process ina case where the lens control unit 22 transmits a command to the bodycontrol unit 72. Similarly, even in case of transmitting a command fromthe body control unit 72 to the lens control unit 22, the commandtransmission control process is executed.

As described above, in a case where the timing of transmitting theasynchronization command is coincident with the timing of transmittingthe synchronization command, the body control unit 72 and the lenscontrol unit 22 can transmit the asynchronization command and thesynchronization command by using the same packet. For example, anasynchronization command indicating speed information of the focus lensand a synchronization command indicating position information of thefocus lens are multiplexed to be stored in a command portion of thepacket. A checksum for determining the presence or absence ofcommunication error is calculated in units of a packet and stored in thefooter. Since the checksum determination process is performed for eachpacket, by multiplexing and transmitting the asynchronization commandand the synchronization command by using one packet, it is possible toreduce the checksum determination process, so that it can contribute toreduction of the calculation processing amount and the processing timeon the reception side.

In addition, by transmitting the asynchronization command and thesynchronization command by using the same packet, it is possible toreduce the amount of data communication, so that it is possible toefficiently transmit and receive data. It also contributes to lowerpower consumption. Since asynchronization commands are also used forcommands (including data) such as the initialization start command, theinitialization execution element information, and the initializationcompletion signal described above, after the initialization completionof each element, notice of the completion of initialization can be givenfrom the lens control unit 22 to the body control unit 72 without delay,so that the initialization time of the entire camera system 1 can beshortened.

Embodiments of the present technology are not limited to theabove-described embodiments, but various modifications are availablewithin the scope without departing from the spirit of the presenttechnology.

For example, the camera system 1 configured with the detachableinterchangeable lens 10 and the imaging apparatus 60 may be configuredto perform only one of the first initialization process and the secondinitialization process described above, may be configured to performboth of the processes, or may be configured to select and perform anyone of the processes as necessary.

In the above-described embodiments, under the condition that the body 60does not correspond to some elements (new elements) which theinterchangeable lens 10 includes, a case where the diaphragm is set as apriority element, and the initialization completion signal is includedin the diaphragm to be transmitted and a case where the initializationcompletion signal is included in an element other than the diaphragm tobe transmitted are distinguished. However, an element other than thediaphragm may be distinguished as a priority element. In addition,instead of distinguishing into two, the elements may be distinguishedinto three or more.

In this specification, the steps described in the flowcharts areprocessed in a time sequence manner according to the order of thedisclosure. However, the steps may be not necessarily processed in atime sequence manner, but the steps may be performed either in parallelor in such a manner that the steps are performed at a necessary timingsuch as a timing when there is a call.

In addition, in this specification, the system denotes a group of aplurality of components (apparatuses, modules (parts), or the like), andit does not matter whether or not all components are in the same casing.Therefore, a plurality of apparatuses accommodated in separate casingsand connected through a network and a single apparatus accommodating aplurality of modules in a single casing are systems.

The effects described in this specification are merely exemplary onesand are not intended to limit the present technology, and there may beeffects other than those described in this specification. Furthermore,the present technology can also have the following configurations.

(1)

An interchangeable lens including a lens control unit configured totransmit lens-side initialization execution element informationindicating a plurality of lens-side elements on which the lens controlunit itself performs initialization to an imaging apparatus in responseto reception of body-side initialization execution element informationindicating body-side elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus.

(2)

The interchangeable lens according to (1), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying all of a plurality of lens-side elements on which theinterchangeable lens performs initialization.

(3)

The interchangeable lens according to (1), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying at least one common element common to the plurality oflens-side elements on which the interchangeable lens performsinitialization and the plurality of body-side elements indicated by thebody-side initialization execution element information.

(4)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (3), in which thelens control unit receives the body-side initialization executionelement information together with an initialization start commandrequesting start of the initialization of the interchangeable lens fromthe imaging apparatus.

(5)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (4), in which thelens control unit transmits the lens-side initialization executionelement information to the imaging apparatus before starting theinitialization of the plurality of lens-side elements.

(6)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (5), in which thelens control unit stores an initialization completion signal indicatinginitialization completion of each of the lens-side elements in a queuebuffer for transmission to the imaging apparatus every time when theinitialization of each lens-side element of the plurality of lens-sideelements has been completed.

(7)

The interchangeable lens according to (6), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include a diaphragm andnon-corresponding exposure influencing element to which the imagingapparatus does not correspond and which influences an exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus, and the lens control unitstores the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm in thequeue buffer at a timing according to the initialization completion ofall the non-corresponding exposure influencing elements and thediaphragm.

(8)

The interchangeable lens according to (6) or (7), in which in a casewhere the plurality of lens-side elements include corresponding elementsto which the imaging apparatus corresponds and non-correspondingelements to which the imaging apparatus does not correspond, if thereare two or more corresponding elements of which the initialization hasnot been completed, irrespective of the presence or absence of thenon-corresponding element of which the initialization has not beencompleted, the lens control unit stores the initialization completionsignal of one corresponding element of which the initialization has beencompleted in the queue buffer at a timing according to theinitialization completion of the one corresponding element of the two ormore corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted.

(9)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (6) to (8), in which in acase where the plurality of lens-side elements include non-correspondingexposure influencing elements to which the imaging apparatus does notcorrespond and which influence an exposure adjustment process of theimaging apparatus and corresponding exposure influencing elements towhich the imaging apparatus corresponds and which influence the exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus,

if the corresponding exposure influencing element of which theinitialization completion signal has not been transmitted is the lastone, the lens control unit stores the initialization completion signalof the last corresponding exposure influencing element to which theimaging apparatus corresponds in the queue buffer at a time when theinitialization of all the non-corresponding exposure influencingelements has been completed.

(10)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (6) to (9), in which in acase where the plurality of lens-side elements include at least onecorresponding exposure non-influencing element which is an exposurenon-influencing element which does not influence an exposure adjustmentprocess of the imaging apparatus and to which the imaging apparatuscorresponds and at least one non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelement which is the exposure non-influencing element and to which theimaging apparatus does not correspond,

if the non-corresponding exposure non-influencing elements of which theinitialization has not been completed remain at a timing when the entireinitialization of the corresponding exposure non-influencing elementshas been completed, the lens control unit waits for the initializationcompletion of all the non-corresponding exposure non-influencing elementand stores the initialization completion signal of the correspondingexposure non-influencing element of which the initialization has beenfinally completed in the queue buffer.

(11)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (6) to (10), in which thelens control unit transmits the initialization completion signal to theimaging apparatus by asynchronous communication.

(12)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (11), in which thelens control unit exclusively performs the initialization process on anon-corresponding exposure influencing element to which the imagingapparatus does not correspond and which influences an exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus and a non-correspondingexposure non-influencing element to which the imaging apparatus does notcorrespond and which does not influence the exposure adjustment processof the imaging apparatus among the lens-side elements.

(13)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (12), in which theplurality of lens-side elements include exposure influencing elementswhich influence an exposure adjustment process of the imaging apparatusand exposure non-influencing elements which do not influence theexposure adjustment process, and

the lens control unit performs the initialization process on theexposure influencing elements and the exposure non-influencing elementsin different schemes.

(14)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (12), in which theplurality of lens-side elements include corresponding elements to whichthe imaging apparatus corresponds and non-corresponding elements towhich the imaging apparatus does not correspond, and the lens controlunit performs the initialization process on the corresponding elementsand the non-corresponding elements in different schemes.

(15)

The interchangeable lens according to (13) or (14), in which thedifferent schemes denote that the timing of storage in the queue bufferfor transmission to the imaging apparatus is different among theelements of which the initialization has been completed.

(16)

The interchangeable lens according to any of (1) to (15), in which thelens control unit transmits the lens-side initialization executionelement information to the imaging apparatus by asynchronouscommunication.

(17)

An imaging apparatus including a body control unit configured totransmit body-side initialization execution element informationindicating a plurality of body-side elements which are elements on whichthe body control unit itself performs initialization to aninterchangeable lens and to perform initialization on the plurality ofbody-side elements on which the body control unit itself performsinitialization in response to lens-side initialization elementinformation which is received from the interchangeable lens andindicates a plurality of lens-side elements which are elements on whichthe interchangeable lens performs initialization.

(18)

The imaging apparatus according to (17), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying at least one common element common to the plurality oflens-side elements on which the interchangeable lens performsinitialization and the plurality of body-side elements indicated by thebody-side initialization execution element information.

(19)

The imaging apparatus according to (18), in which the body control unitdetermines that the initialization on the interchangeable lens side hasbeen completed on the basis of reception of the initializationcompletion signals of all the common elements indicated by the lens-sideinitialization execution element information.

(20)

The imaging apparatus according to (17), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying all of a plurality of lens-side elements on which theinterchangeable lens performs initialization.

(21)

The imaging apparatus according to (20), in which the body control unitdetermines that the initialization on the interchangeable lens side hasbeen completed on the basis of reception of the initializationcompletion signals of all the common elements common to the plurality ofbody-side elements indicated by the body-side initialization executionelement information and the plurality of lens-side elements indicated bythe lens-side initialization execution element information.

(22)

The imaging apparatus according to any of (17) to (21), in which thebody control unit transmits the body-side initialization executionelement information together with an initialization start commandrequesting start of initialization to the interchangeable lens.

(23)

The imaging apparatus according to any of (17) to (22), in which thebody control unit starts an exposure adjustment process as theinitialization in response to reception of the initialization completionsignals of all elements which influence the exposure adjustment process.

(24)

A camera system including:

an interchangeable lens; and

an imaging apparatus,

in which the interchangeable lens includes a lens control unitconfigured to transmit lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating a plurality of lens-side elements which areelements on which the interchangeable lens performs initialization tothe imaging apparatus in response to reception of body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating body-sideelements which are elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus, and

the imaging apparatus includes a body control unit configured totransmit the body-side initialization execution element information tothe interchangeable lens and to perform initialization on a plurality ofbody-side elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization in response to the lens-side initialization executionelement information received from the interchangeable lens.

(25)

A control method of an interchangeable lens including a lens controlunit configured to transmit lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating a plurality of lens-side elements on which thelens control unit itself performs initialization to an imaging apparatusin response to reception of body-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating body-side elements on which the imaging apparatusperforms initialization from the imaging apparatus.

(26)

A program causing a computer of a interchangeable lens to execute aprocess of transmitting lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating a plurality of elements on which the lens controlunit itself performs initialization to an imaging apparatus in responseto reception of body-side initialization execution element informationindicating body-side elements on which the imaging apparatus performsinitialization from the imaging apparatus.

(27)

A control method of an imaging apparatus, in which a body control unitof the imaging apparatus transmits body-side initialization executionelement information indicating a plurality of body-side elements whichare elements on which the body control unit itself performsinitialization to an interchangeable lens and performs initialization onthe plurality of body-side elements on which the body control unititself performs initialization in response to lens-side initializationelement information which is received from the interchangeable lens andindicates a plurality of lens-side elements which are elements on whichthe interchangeable lens performs initialization.

(28)

A program causing a computer of an imaging apparatus to execute aprocess of:

transmitting body-side initialization execution element informationindicating a plurality of body-side elements which are elements on whicha body control unit itself performs initialization to an interchangeablelens; and performing initialization on the plurality of body-sideelements on which the body control unit itself performs initializationin response to lens-side initialization element information which isreceived from the interchangeable lens and indicates a plurality oflens-side elements which are elements on which the interchangeable lensperforms initialization.

(A1)

An interchangeable lens including a lens control unit configured totransmit lens-side initialization execution element informationindicating a plurality of lens-side elements which are elements on whichthe lens control unit itself performs initialization in response to aninitialization start command from the imaging apparatus to the imagingapparatus.

(A2)

The interchangeable lens according to (A1), in which the lens controlunit further stores an initialization completion signal indicatinginitialization completion of each of the lens-side elements in a queuebuffer for transmission to the imaging apparatus every time when theinitialization of each lens-side element of the plurality of lens-sideelements has been completed.

(A3)

The interchangeable lens according to (A2), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include a diaphragm andnon-corresponding exposure influencing element to which the imagingapparatus does not correspond and which influences an exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus, and the lens control unitstores the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm in thequeue buffer at a timing according to the initialization completion ofall the non-corresponding exposure influencing elements and thediaphragm.

(A4)

The interchangeable lens according to (A2), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include corresponding elements to whichthe imaging apparatus corresponds and non-corresponding elements towhich the imaging apparatus does not correspond, if there are two ormore corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted, irrespective of the presence or absence of thenon-corresponding element of which the initialization has not beencompleted, the lens control unit stores the initialization completionsignal of one corresponding element of which the initialization has beencompleted in the queue buffer at a timing according to theinitialization completion of the one corresponding element of the two ormore corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted.

(A5)

The interchangeable lens according to (A2), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include non-corresponding exposureinfluencing elements to which the imaging apparatus does not correspondand which influence an exposure adjustment process of the imagingapparatus and corresponding exposure influencing elements to which theimaging apparatus corresponds and which influence the exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus, if the correspondingexposure influencing element of which the initialization completionsignal has not been transmitted is the last one, the lens control unitstores the initialization completion signal of the last correspondingexposure influencing element to which the imaging apparatus correspondsin the queue buffer at a time when the initialization of all thenon-corresponding exposure influencing elements has been completed.

(A6)

The interchangeable lens according to (A2), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include at least one correspondingexposure non-influencing element which is an exposure non-influencingelement which does not influence an exposure adjustment process of theimaging apparatus and to which the imaging apparatus corresponds and atleast one non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element which isthe exposure non-influencing element and to which the imaging apparatusdoes not correspond, if the non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelements of which the initialization has not been completed remain at atiming when the entire initialization of the corresponding exposurenon-influencing elements has been completed, the lens control unit waitsfor the initialization completion of all the non-corresponding exposurenon-influencing element and stores the initialization completion signalof the corresponding exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization has been finally completed in the queue buffer.

(A7)

The interchangeable lens according to (A2), in which the lens controlunit transmits the initialization completion signal to the imagingapparatus by asynchronous communication.

(A8)

The interchangeable lens according to (A1), in which the lens controlunit exclusively performs the initialization process on anon-corresponding exposure influencing element to which the imagingapparatus does not correspond and which influences an exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus and a non-correspondingexposure non-influencing element to which the imaging apparatus does notcorrespond and which does not influence the exposure adjustment processof the imaging apparatus among the lens-side elements.

(A9)

The interchangeable lens according to (A1), in which the plurality oflens-side elements include exposure influencing elements which influencean exposure adjustment process of the imaging apparatus and exposurenon-influencing elements which do not influence the exposure adjustmentprocess, and

the lens control unit performs the initialization process on theexposure influencing elements and the exposure non-influencing elementsin different schemes.

(A10)

The interchangeable lens according to (A9), in which the plurality oflens-side elements include corresponding elements to which the imagingapparatus corresponds and non-corresponding elements to which theimaging apparatus does not correspond, and

the lens control unit performs the initialization process on thecorresponding elements and the non-corresponding elements in differentschemes.

(A11)

The interchangeable lens according to (A1), in which the differentschemes denote that the timing of storage in the queue buffer fortransmission to the imaging apparatus is different among the elements ofwhich the initialization has been completed.

(A12)

The interchangeable lens according to (A1), in which the lens controlunit transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation to the imaging apparatus by asynchronous communication.

(B1)

A interchangeable lens including a lens control unit configured totransmit an initialization completion signal indicating initializationcompletion of each lens-side element to the imaging apparatus at atiming according to the initialization completion of each lens-sideelement, in a case where the lens-side elements includes a diaphragm andnon-corresponding exposure influencing element to which the imagingapparatus does not correspond and which influences an exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus, the lens control unitstores the initialization completion signal of the diaphragm in a queuebuffer for transmission to the imaging apparatus on condition that theinitialization of all the non-corresponding exposure influencingelements and the diaphragm has been completed.

(B2)

The interchangeable lens according to (B1), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include corresponding elements to whichthe imaging apparatus corresponds and non-corresponding elements towhich the imaging apparatus does not correspond, if there are two ormore corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted, irrespective of the presence or absence of thenon-corresponding element of which the initialization has not beencompleted, the lens control unit stores the initialization completionsignal of one corresponding element of which the initialization has beencompleted in the queue buffer at a timing according to theinitialization completion of the one corresponding element of the two ormore corresponding elements of which the initialization has not beencompleted.

(B3)

The interchangeable lens according to (B1), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include non-corresponding exposureinfluencing elements to which the imaging apparatus does not correspondand which influence an exposure adjustment process of the imagingapparatus and corresponding exposure influencing elements to which theimaging apparatus corresponds and which influence the exposureadjustment process of the imaging apparatus, if the correspondingexposure influencing element of which the initialization completionsignal has not been transmitted is the last one, the lens control unitstores the initialization completion signal of the last correspondingexposure influencing element to which the imaging apparatus correspondsin the queue buffer at a time when the initialization of all thenon-corresponding exposure influencing elements has been completed.

(B4)

The interchangeable lens according to (B1), in which in a case where theplurality of lens-side elements include at least one correspondingexposure non-influencing element which is an exposure non-influencingelement which does not influence an exposure adjustment process of theimaging apparatus and to which the imaging apparatus corresponds and atleast one non-corresponding exposure non-influencing element which isthe exposure non-influencing element and to which the imaging apparatusdoes not correspond, if the non-corresponding exposure non-influencingelements of which the initialization has not been completed remain at atiming when the entire initialization of the corresponding exposurenon-influencing elements has been completed, the lens control unit waitsfor the initialization completion of all the non-corresponding exposurenon-influencing element and stores the initialization completion signalof the corresponding exposure non-influencing element of which theinitialization has been finally completed in the queue buffer.

(B5)

The interchangeable lens according to (B1), in which the lens controlunit transmits the initialization completion signal to the imagingapparatus by asynchronous communication.

(B6)

The interchangeable lens according to (B1), in which the lens controlunit further transmits lens-side initialization execution elementinformation indicating a plurality of lens-side elements which areelements on which the lens control unit itself performs initializationto the imaging apparatus in response to reception of body-sideinitialization execution element information indicating body-sideelements on which the imaging apparatus performs initialization from theimaging apparatus.

(B7)

The imaging apparatus according to (B6), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying all of a plurality of lens-side elements on which theinterchangeable lens performs initialization.

(B8)

The interchangeable lens according to (B6), in which the lens-sideinitialization execution element information is information capable ofidentifying at least one common element common to the plurality oflens-side elements on which the interchangeable lens performsinitialization and the plurality of body-side elements indicated by thebody-side initialization execution element information.

(B9)

The interchangeable lens according to (B6), in which the lens controlunit receives the body-side initialization execution element informationtogether with an initialization start command requesting start of theinitialization of the interchangeable lens from the imaging apparatus.

(B10)

The interchangeable lens according to (B6), in which the lens controlunit transmits the lens-side initialization execution elementinformation to the imaging apparatus before starting the initialization.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Camera system-   10 Interchangeable lens-   22 Lens control unit-   23 Zoom lens-   24 Camera shake correction lens-   25 Diaphragm-   26 Focus lens-   27 Liquid crystal ND filter-   28 Lens barrel display unit-   30 Memory unit-   31 Recording unit-   60 Imaging apparatus (body)-   72 Body control unit-   78 Recording unit-   83 Recording medium

The invention claimed is:
 1. An interchangeable lens comprising: one ormore lens-side processors configured to transmit lens-sideinitialization element information indicating a plurality of lens-sideelements to an imaging apparatus, and perform initialization of theplurality of lens-side elements.
 2. The interchangeable lens accordingto claim 1, wherein the one or more lens-side processors is furtherconfigured to transmit the lens-side initialization element informationin response to reception of body-side element information, the body-sideelement information indicating which initialization completion signalsof the plurality of lens-side elements the imaging apparatus isconfigured to recognize, wherein each of the initialization completionsignals corresponds to a different one of the lens-side elements.
 3. Theinterchangeable lens according to claim 2, wherein the one or morelens-side processors is configured to transmit the initializationcompletion signal for each of the plurality of lens-side elements thatthe imaging apparatus is configured to recognize based on the body-sideelement information.
 4. The interchangeable lens according to claim 2,wherein the one or more lens-side processors is configured to receivethe body-side element information and an initialization start commandfrom the imaging apparatus, and start the initialization of theplurality of lens-side elements in response to the initialization startcommand.
 5. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, wherein theone or more lens-side processors is configured to transmit the lens-sideinitialization element information to the imaging apparatus beforestarting the initialization of the plurality of lens-side elements. 6.The interchangeable lens according to claim 5, wherein the one or morelens-side processors is configured to receive an initialization startcommand from the imaging apparatus, and start the initialization of theplurality of lens-side elements in response to the initialization startcommand.
 7. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, wherein theone or more lens-side processors is configured to transmit a separateinitialization completion signal for each of the plurality of lens-sideelements.
 8. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a lens mount configured to attach to the imaging apparatus.9. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, wherein the pluralityof lens-side elements includes at least two of a zoom lens, a camerashake correction lens, a lock of the camera shake correction lens, adiaphragm, or a focus lens.
 10. The interchangeable lens according toclaim 1, wherein when the plurality of lens-side elements includes (i) adiaphragm and (ii) an exposure influencing element that influences anexposure adjustment process of the imaging apparatus and is notrecognized by the imaging apparatus, the one or more lens-sideprocessors is configured to transmit an initialization completion signalof the diaphragm after the initialization of the diaphragm and theexposure influencing element are completed.
 11. The interchangeable lensaccording to claim 1, wherein the one or more lens-side processors isconfigured to transmit an initialization completion signal of a firstone of the plurality of lens-side elements that is recognized by theimaging apparatus after completion of the initialization of the firstone of the plurality of lens-side elements and a second one of theplurality of lens-side elements that is not recognized by the imagingapparatus.
 12. The interchangeable lens according to claim 1, whereinthe one or more lens-side processors is configured to transmit aninitialization completion signal of one of the plurality of lens-sideelements in response to completion of the initialization of the one ofthe plurality of lens-side elements.
 13. The interchangeable lensaccording to claim 1, wherein the one or more lens-side processors isconfigured to transmit, for each of the plurality of lens-side elementsthat the imaging apparatus is configured to recognize, an initializationcompletion signal to the imaging apparatus by asynchronouscommunication.
 14. An imaging apparatus comprising: one or morebody-side processors configured to transmit body-side elementinformation to an interchangeable lens, the body-side elementinformation indicating which initialization completion signals of aplurality of lens-side initialization elements the imaging apparatus isconfigured to recognize, and recognize at least one of theinitialization completion signals of the plurality of lens-sideinitialization elements according to lens-side initialization elementinformation received from the interchangeable lens.
 15. The imagingapparatus according to claim 14, wherein the one or more body-sideprocessors is configured to transmit the body-side element informationbefore a start of initialization of the plurality of lens-sideinitialization elements by the interchangeable lens.
 16. The imagingapparatus according to claim 14, wherein the lens-side initializationelement information indicates each of the plurality of lens-sideelements on which the interchangeable lens performs initialization. 17.The imaging apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the one or morebody-side processors is configured to transmit an initialization startcommand to the interchangeable lens.
 18. The imaging apparatus accordingto claim 14, wherein the one or more body-side processors is configuredto start an exposure adjustment process in response to reception of theinitialization completion signal from each of the plurality of lens-sideelements that influence the exposure adjustment process and that isrecognized by the imaging apparatus.
 19. The imaging apparatus accordingto claim 14, wherein the one or more body-side processors is configuredto determine when an initialization of the interchangeable lens iscompleted based on reception of each of the initialization completionsignals of the plurality of lens-side elements that is recognized by theimaging apparatus.